CAPTIONING ghcounty.org



CAPTIONING

PLANNING COMMISSION

SPECIAL MEETING

AUGUST 26, 2013

***This is not an official, verbatim transcript of the ***following meeting. It should be used for informational ***purposes only. This document has not been edited; ***therefore, there may be additions, deletions, or words ***that did not translate.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: GOOD AFTERNOON, AND WELCOME TO THE AUGUST 26, 2013, SPECIAL MEETING OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY CITY-COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION.

WE THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THIS MEETING.

YOUR COMMENTS AND PARTICIPATION ARE ENCOURAGED.

IF YOU WILL PLEASE SIGN THE REGISTER AT THE REAR OF THE ROOM AND TURN OFF ANY DEVICES THAT MAY BE A DISTRACTION.

WHEN ADDRESSING THIS MEETING, WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE BEGIN WITH YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS AND SPEAK DIRECTLY INTO THE MICROPHONE.

THE MEETING WILL BE CONDUCTED AS FOLLOWS: AGENDA ITEM WILL BE INTRODUCED, AND STAFF WILL GIVE A PRESENTATION WITH A 15-MINUTE TIME LIMIT.

THE APPLICANT WILL THEN GIVE THEIR PRESENTATION WITH A 15-MINUTE TIME LIMIT.

OPPONENTS AND PROPONENTS WILL BE HEARD FOR THREE MINUTES EACH, AND THE APPLICANT WILL HAVE A THREE-MINUTE REBUTTAL PERIOD.

PLANNING COMMISSIONERS WILL THEN ASK QUESTIONS, PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE CLOSED, AND UPON A MOTION AND A SECOND, THERE WILL BE DISCUSSION AND A VOTE WILL BE TAKEN.

WITH THAT INTRODUCTION, I ASK THAT YOU ALL STAND FOR THE INVOCATION AND PLEDGE.

HEAVENLY FATHER, WE ASK THAT YOU BLESS ALL OF OUR SERVICE MEMBERS, BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD, AS THEY PROTECT NEWS THEIR DAILY DUTIES FOR ALL THE SERVICES THAT WE MAY PROVIDE.

WE ALSO ASK THAT YOU PROVIDE US WITH THE ABILITY TO PRACTICE YOUR PRINCIPLES IN OUR DELIBERATIONS.

AMEN.

[PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE]

ROLL CALL, PLEASE.

[ROLL CALL TAKEN]

>> THANK YOU.

WE HAVE A QUORUM.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: THANK YOU.

THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM NUMBER 2 ON OUR AGENDA FOR THIS AFTERNOON, SCHOOL DISTRICT EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES PLAN 2013/2014 THROUGH 2017/2018.

MS. KELLY.

>>KRISTA KELLY: GOOD AFTERNOON.

KRISTA KELLY, PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF.

THIS ITEM IS A CONSISTENCY REVIEW FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES PLAN FROM 2013/14 TO 2017/18.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS AN INTERLOCAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE SCHOOL BOARD AND EACH OF THE FOUR JURISDICTIONS, WHICH MANDATES THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION WILL REVIEW THE DISTRICT'S FIVE-YEAR FACILITY PLAN EACH YEAR AS IT'S UPDATED.

MS. CATHY VALDES WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS HERE TO PRESENT THE FACILITY PLAN AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

FOLLOWING HER PRESENTATION, STAFF WILL PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION REGARDING CONSISTENCY AND ACTION BY THE PLANNING COMMISSION.

THANK YOU.

>>CATHY VALDES: GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.

CATHY VALDES, HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

FAVORITE TIME OF YEAR, GET TO COME AND PRESENT TO YOU OUR FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL PLAN.

THIS YEAR WE HAVE IN OUR FIVE-YEAR PLAN, THAT IS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, LOOKS OUT FOR A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD.

THE MOST CERTAIN, OF COURSE, IS THE CURRENT YEAR, AND THE OTHERS ARE PROJECTIONS.

BUT IN THIS CURRENT YEAR, 2013/14, WE HAVE NO NEW SCHOOLS OPENING.

HOWEVER, NEXT YEAR, IN 14/15, WE DO HAVE A NEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, THE FIRST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT WE WILL HAVE OPENED NOW IN THREE YEARS, A NEW SCHOOL.

WE HAVEN'T HAD ANY NEW GROWTH IN THAT CAPACITY AS FAR AS ADDING NEW CAPACITY FOR ABOUT THREE YEARS NOW.

BUT IN 14/15, IN THE RUSKIN AREA NEXT TO LENNARD HIGH SCHOOL, WE WILL BE OPENING ELEMENTARY A.

WE ARE PROUD TO SAY THAT ELEMENTARY A, WHICH WAS DISCUSSED LAST YEAR AND FUNDED IN OUR PREVIOUS PLAN, IS GOING TO BE A LEED SILVER SCHOOL, SO WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT AND VERY ANXIOUS TO SEE THAT OPEN.

IN 15/16, WE'LL BE OPENING ELEMENTARY B.

THAT'S IN THE MAGNOLIA PARK AREA, WHICH IS DOWN OFF OF PROGRESS VILLAGE BOULEVARD.

AND IN 16/17, IF EVERYTHING GOES AS PLANNED AND THE PROJECTIONS HOLD TRUE AND OUR IMPACT FEES COME IN AT THE ANTICIPATED RATE, WE WILL BE OPENING A MIDDLE SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL TT, WHICH IS IN THE SOUTH HILLSBOROUGH AREA, AND THAT MIDDLE SCHOOL IS DOWN OFF OF BALM ROAD OR 672.

IN 17/18, NO NEW SCHOOLS.

BUT THEN LOOKING AHEAD TO THE NEXT FIVE-YEAR PERIOD, WE DO HAVE SEVERAL SCHOOLS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR LONG-RANGE PLAN, THAT IS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE WATERSET AREA AND A MIDDLE SCHOOL AT ENCORE, WHICH IS IN DOWNTOWN TAMPA.

IT'S ALREADY BEEN NAMED, MEACHAM MIDDLE SCHOOL.

AND OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL IN THE WATERSET AREA ALSO.

OUR PLAN PROVIDES FOR AN ESTIMATED CAPITAL REVENUE OF $264,510,660.

OF THAT, $160,618,855 FOR MAJOR MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.

THOSE ARE THINGS LIKE HVAC RENOVATIONS, LIGHTING RETROFITS, EXTERIOR PAINTING, ROOF -- A LOT OF ROOF, A LOT OF HVAC, A LOT OF EXTERIOR PAINT.

THAT'S THE $160 MILLION.

THE NEW CONSTRUCTION, $85,205,609, THAT'S FOR THOSE NEW SCHOOLS THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT.

RENOVATION.

ONE THING -- AND IT DID COME UP AT THE LAST MEETING IN REGARD TO OUR GRADE, IF YOU WILL, FOR OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, THAT WE DISCUSSED AT OUR LAST PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING, OUR RENOVATIONS, WE ARE PROUD TO SAY WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A FEW YEARS, TO BE ABLE TO FUND THREE RENOVATIONS, $18,686,196 PROJECTED.

SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO FUND THREE RENOVATIONS.

OF COURSE, WE NEED TO FUND A LOT MORE.

WE DO HAVE SOME UNFUNDED RENOVATIONS, AND WE'LL TALK LATER ABOUT THAT.

THIS YEAR, IN THIS FIVE-YEAR PERIOD, AS WE'VE STATED, OUR NEW SCHOOLS, ELEMENTARY B AT MAGNOLIA PARK AND THE ELEMENTARY AT WATERSET, WHICH WE WILL BE PARTIALLY FUNDING IN THIS FIVE-YEAR PERIOD TO BE ABLE TO CONSTRUCT IT IN THE NEXT FIVE-YEAR PERIOD.

ALSO, OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL TT, AS WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, AND OUR MEACHAM AT ENCORE THAT WE WILL BE PARTIALLY FUNDING IN THIS FIVE-YEAR PERIOD.

HERE'S A MAP OF WHERE OUR NEW SCHOOLS ARE GOING TO BE LOCATED, AS STATED.

THE ELEMENTARY DOWN BY LENNARD HIGH SCHOOL, THAT'S A.

B UP IN THE PROGRESS VILLAGE AREA, B, ELEMENTARY.

THEN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL, TT, ON BALM ROAD.

ADDITIONS TO EXISTING SCHOOLS.

AS YOU WILL REMEMBER, FOR MANY YEARS, WE ADDED AND ADDED AND ADDED AS CLASS SIZE REDUCTION, THAT CONSTITUTIONAL MANDATE FOR CLASS SIZE WAS BEING IMPLEMENTED.

WE DID A LOT OF ADDITIONS AT SCHOOLS.

WE AREN'T ADDING ANYMORE.

I THINK WE'VE ADDED ABOUT ALL THAT WE CAN ADD TO OUR EXISTING SCHOOLS.

BUT WE ARE PLEASED, AS I STATED, TO HAVE MAJOR RENOVATIONS AT BING ELEMENTARY, BOYETTE SPRINGS ELEMENTARY, AND CANNELLA ELEMENTARY.

ADDITIONALLY, WITH OUR CAPITAL DOLLARS, WE HAVE TO FUND BUS PURCHASES.

THIS TOO, NOT NEARLY ENOUGH, BUT WE WILL BE FUNDING IN THE FIVE-YEAR PERIOD $11 MILLION FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF SCHOOL BUSES.

SITE PURCHASES, WE DON'T HAVE ANY DOLLARS DEDICATED TO THAT.

WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN GETTING DEVELOPER DEDICATIONS FOR OUR SITES.

ANTICIPATED REVENUE FOR CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE $103,891,805 ALLOCATED TO THAT THROUGH LOCAL MILLAGE.

WE TALKED ABOUT SOME YEARS AGO, ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, OUR MILLAGE FOR CAPITAL WAS CUT FROM 2 MILLS TO 1.5 MILLS.

THAT PUT QUITE A DENT IN OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT -- OUR CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM.

IN ADDITION TO THAT, BECAUSE OF OUR DEBT SERVICE, BECAUSE ALL THOSE DOLLARS THAT WE BORROWED WHILE WE WERE BUILDING THOSE 70-PLUS SCHOOLS DURING THOSE HIGH-GROWTH TIMES, THAT DEBT CONSUMES ALMOST 70% OF OUR CAPITAL DOLLARS THAT COME INTO THE DISTRICT.

SO THE OTHER FUNDING SOURCE AND THE ONLY FUNDING SOURCE FOR THE NEW SCHOOLS THAT WE'LL BE BUILDING OR THAT WE'LL EVER BE ABLE TO BUILD IN THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE WILL BE OUR IMPACT FEES, SO THOSE SCHOOLS THAT WE DISCUSSED AS BEING NEW, A, B, TT, AND THEN ON TO THE ONES IN OUR LONGER-RANGE PLAN, WILL BE FUNDED BY IMPACT FEES.

OUR CONSTRUCTION NEED, OF COURSE, IS $221,278,260.

SO WE HAVE MORE NEED THAN WE HAVE REVENUE COMING IN.

WE HAVE NEED FOR THE TWO ELEMENTARY, THREE MIDDLE, AND THE 20 REMODELING PROJECTS, OF WHICH ONLY 17 CAN BE FUNDED.

GOING BACK TO THE CAPITAL DOLLARS SIDE, I WOULD LIKE TO POINT OUT -- AND MOST OF US KNOW -- THAT WE USED TO GET PECO, PUBLIC EDUCATION CAPITAL OUTLAY FUNDS, THAT WE COULD USE FOR MAINTENANCE PROJECTS AND FOR NEW CONSTRUCTION.

AND IN THE PAST THREE YEARS, WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY PECO DOLLARS EITHER BECAUSE FOR A LITTLE WHILE, THEY WERE GOING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS AND TO UNIVERSITIES, AND NOW THEY'RE TOTALLY HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO CHARTER SCHOOLS.

OUR MAJOR MAINTENANCE PROJECTS, AT OUR 263 SITES, $160,618,855.

SOUNDS LIKE A LOT, BUT IT'S NOT.

OF COURSE, AS WITH EVERY GOVERNMENT, PROBABLY, WE DO HAVE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.

OUR DEBT, AS WE DISCUSSED -- THIS IS OUR DEBT, $1,088,234,652.84.

SO THAT'S A HUGE DEBT, AND THAT, AS I SAID, CONSUMES ABOUT 70% OF OUR CAPITAL DOLLARS THAT COME INTO THE DISTRICT.

SO I'M AVAILABLE FOR QUESTIONS IF ANY OF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR FIVE-YEAR CAPITAL PLAN.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: THANK YOU, MS. VALDES.

COMMISSIONERS?

COMMISSIONER HOLLANDS.

>>BRIAN HOLLANDS: THAT'S A PRETTY STAGGERING DEBT NUMBER.

IS THERE A PLAN TO ADDRESS THAT?

>>CATHY VALDES: WELL, THAT IS -- THAT -- ADDRESSING IT HAS BEEN -- I MEAN, THAT'S HOW WE ACQUIRED THE DEBT WITH THE PLAN, AND THIS IS WITH OUR CAPITAL DOLLARS AND THROUGH OUR MILLAGE.

THAT IS THE PLAN.

>>BRIAN HOLLANDS: SO I GUESS WHAT I AM LOOKING AT IS IN THAT PLAN, IT WAS ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOR NOT JUST HAVING THE DEBT, BUT THAT 70% OF REVENUE IS WHAT WOULD BE --

>>CATHY VALDES: WELL, NO, THERE WAS NO ANTICIPATION THAT OUR REVENUE WAS GOING TO BE DECREASED.

OF COURSE, IT USED TO BE THAT WE GOT 2 MILLS FOR CAPITAL.

IT WASN'T THROUGH ANY ACTION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT IT'S NOW BEEN REDUCED TO 1.5 MILLS.

THAT IS A STATE ACTION.

THERE IS AN ALLOWANCE FOR LOCAL MILLAGE, AN ADDITIONAL .25 MILLS LOCAL, TO BE ALLOCATED TOWARD CAPITAL, BUT OUR BOARD HAS NOT SEEN FIT TO DO THAT, AND OUR SUPERINTENDENT, BECAUSE, OF COURSE, THERE'S NOT A REAL WILLINGNESS, I THINK, IN THE COMMUNITY BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHERS THAT ARE KIND OF EQUALLY STRESSED, TO DO ADDITIONAL TAX FOR CAPITAL FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

>>BRIAN HOLLANDS: SO WHAT I'M GETTING AT, THEN, IS IS THERE, IN LIGHT OF THE REDUCTIONS IN FUNDING THAT HAVE OCCURRED THAT WERE NOT ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED, A PLAN TO DEAL WITH THE DEBT IN TERMS OF REDUCING IT, PAYING DOWN THE PRINCIPAL ON THE DEBT, OR IS IT JUST AN ISSUE OF SERVICING THE DEBT AT PRESENT UNTIL SOMETHING ELSE CAN BE THOUGHT OF?

>>CATHY VALDES: THAT'S CORRECT, JUST SERVICING AS PRESENT.

IT'S HARD TO PAY IT DOWN WHEN THE ONLY DOLLARS THAT YOU CAN PUT TOWARD THAT ARE DOLLARS THAT ARE SO -- SO NEEDED IN THE MAINTENANCE AND CONSTRUCTION ARENA.

IF OUR REVENUE -- YOU KNOW, WE START BRINGING IN LOTS OF CASH BECAUSE THERE'S A WHOLE ECONOMIC REBOUND -- WHICH I THINK WE'RE SEEING AND THERE IS GROWTH AS IT'S HAPPENING IN SOUTH HILLSBOROUGH, WHICH IS FUNDING -- THOSE DOLLARS ARE FUNDING THE NEW SCHOOL -- THERE'S A POTENTIAL THAT MAYBE DOWN THE ROAD THERE COULD BE SOME DEBT PAY-DOWN.

OF COURSE, OUR BOND COUNSEL TAKES EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME REFINANCING, TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO BE ABLE TO REDUCE OUR DEBT IN THAT REGARD.

BUT THAT'S ABOUT THE ONLY THING AT THIS POINT THAT I CAN SAY THAT WE ARE EVEN LOOKING TOWARD.

>>BRIAN HOLLANDS: ALL RIGHT.

TOTALLY SEPARATE QUESTION THAT I HAD AS I WAS GOING THROUGH ALL THIS IS AS FAR AS THE STATE'S VIRTUAL SCHOOL AND REQUIREMENT OF THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND SUCH TO BE TAKING VIRTUAL CLASSES, AT PRESENT, OR THROUGH TODAY, HAS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SEEN ANY KIND OF AN IMPACT THAT THAT'S HAD POSITIVELY ON CAPACITY IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, OR HAS IT REALLY NOT HAD ANY IMPACT AT PRESENT ON THAT?

AND -- THAT'S THE ANSWER I'M EXPECTING -- AS THAT PROGRAM BECOMES MORE AND MORE PREVALENT, I GUESS THAT'S THE WORD, PROLIFERATES THROUGHOUT THE STATE, IS THERE AN EXPECTATION IT MAY HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON CAPACITY?

>>CATHY VALDES: THERE HAS NOT BEEN ONE WE COULD SEE UP TO PRESENT.

THERE IS A POTENTIAL THAT IT WILL.

HOWEVER, MOST TIMES THOSE STUDENTS ARE TAKING ONE OR TWO CLASSES THROUGH VIRTUAL EDUCATION, AND SO THEY STILL REQUIRE A SEAT.

SO WE'RE STILL HAVING TO BUILD SEATS FOR THEM.

NOW, IN THE BIGGER PICTURE OF SCHEDULING, ESPECIALLY IN A HIGH SCHOOL, YOU WOULD THINK THAT THAT WOULD REDUCE THE NUMBER OF SEATS REQUIRED.

SO IT MAY PLAY OUT TO BE A MINIMAL IMPACT AS WE GO ALONG.

THE STATE DID PROJECT THAT THROUGH THE VIRTUAL AND THROUGH CHARTER SCHOOLS THAT WE WOULD HAVE A REDUCED NEED FOR SEATS.

THEY SINCE HAVE COME OFF THAT A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THEY'VE UNDERSTOOD THAT WE'RE NOT REALIZING THAT.

>>BRIAN HOLLANDS: AND THEN FROM THAT AS WELL, THE CLASS SIZE AMENDMENT, DOES THAT HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE VIRTUAL SCHOOL SEATS?

>>CATHY VALDES: NO.

THERE'S NO CAP TO VIRTUAL, OF COURSE.

>>BRIAN HOLLANDS: THAT'S WHAT I THOUGHT.

OKAY.

GOOD.

THERE WAS A THIRD QUESTION THAT I HAD, BUT IT MUST NOT HAVE BEEN AS IMPORTANT AS THE OTHER TWO, SO I'LL YIELD BACK.

>>CATHY VALDES: THANK YOU.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER HOLLANDS.

BEFORE I GO ON TO FURTHER COMMISSIONERS' QUESTIONS, I NEGLECTED TO ASK IF THERE WAS ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WISHED TO SPEAK EITHER FOR OR AGAINST THIS ITEM.

OKAY, SEEING NONE, I WILL MOVE ON.

COMMISSIONER CURY.

>>BRUCE CURY: MRS. VALDES, THE NEW CONSTRUCTION INVOLVED THREE SCHOOLS, ONE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND TWO ELEMENTARY.

THE ELEMENTARIES ARE CALLED A AND B.

>>CATHY VALDES: PRESENTLY.

ON SEPTEMBER 24, WE WILL BE NAMING ELEMENTARY A.

>>BRUCE CURY: I JUST WANTED TO GET SOME WAY TO REFER TO THEM.

ALL RIGHT.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL A AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ARE WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE AREA; YES?

>>CATHY VALDES: THAT'S CORRECT.

>>BRUCE CURY: IS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL B WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE AREA?

>>CATHY VALDES: IT IS.

>>BRUCE CURY: THANK YOU.

THAT WASN'T CLEAR.

IF IT WAS NOT WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE AREA, I WAS GOING TO TELL YOU WHY IT WASN'T.

I HAVE NOTHING ELSE.

>>CATHY VALDES: IT IS, BUT I AM GOING TO VERIFY THAT WITH LORRAINE DUFFY SUAREZ.

I FORGOT TO MENTION HER.

LORRAINE DUFFY SUAREZ IS OUR PLANNER AND OUR GENERAL MANAGER OF PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT.

WE ARE VERY EXCITED THAT SHE IS ABLE TO JOIN US.

I THINK SHE WAS PART OF YOUR GROUP FOR MANY YEARS.

THAT'S THE ANSWER, YES, SHE CONFIRMED THAT.

[LAUGHTER]

>>BRUCE CURY: ALL THREE WERE WITHIN THE URBAN SERVICE AREA?

>>CATHY VALDES: THAT'S CORRECT.

>>BRUCE CURY: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: COMMISSIONER GREEN.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: BESIDES JUST DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS, HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT PROJECTING WHERE NEW SCHOOLS WILL BE NEEDED AND THEN FACTOR THEM INTO YOUR LONG-TERM PLANNING PROCESS?

>> I'M LORRAINE DUFFY SUAREZ, THE GENERAL MANAGER FOR GROWTH MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

THERE'S A COUPLE OF FACTORS THAT PLAY INTO IT.

MOSTLY, THOUGH, I'M TRACKING NEW DEVELOPMENT, AND I'M ALWAYS DEVELOPING -- EVERY YEAR WE ARE DEVELOPING ANOTHER TOOL TO TRACK NEW DEVELOPMENT.

I'M WORKING WITH DEVELOPERS TO SEE WHERE NEW HOUSING IS COMING IN.

AND THEN BASED ON THOSE PROJECTIONS, WE DON'T EXACTLY HAVE THE TIMING DOWN 100%, BUT WHAT WE DO DO IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS COUNT STUDENTS EVERY 20 DAYS.

SO YOU CAN START TO SEE TRENDS IN SCHOOLS AND SAY, OH, WE'VE MOVED UP ELEMENTARY B, FOR INSTANCE.

ELEMENTARY B IN TWO YEARS AGO, I THINK, WOULD HAVE BEEN OPENING IN THREE YEARS FROM NOW, BUT NOW WE'RE MOVING IT IN TWO YEARS BECAUSE WE COULD SEE THE TREND.

SO YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT A PERFECT SYSTEM, BUT WE ARE GETTING MORE AND MORE COOPERATION FROM THE BUILDERS, HOME BUILDERS, AND WE ARE DEVELOPING OUR OWN SET OF TOOLS.

SO THAT'S HOW WE'RE DOING IT.

I HAD A CALL ON THAT THE OTHER DAY FROM SOMEONE, AND IT'S HALF SCIENCE AND HALF WHO YOU KNOW.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: THAT WASN'T ME, BY THE WAY.

>> NO, IT WASN'T.

HALF WHO YOU KNOW AND HALF SCIENCE, BUT WE'RE GETTING THERE.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: BUT NOW YOU'RE COUNTING HEADS OR STUDENTS -- I SHOULDN'T SAY HEADS.

>> YES, THAT'S WHAT I SAY.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: EVERY 20 DAYS?

>> SCHOOL DISTRICT, WE COUNT THE STUDENTS EVERY 20 DAYS.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: SO DOES THAT SUGGEST WITH THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, ENROLLMENT MIGHT INCREASE RATHER QUICKLY, DECREASE, SOMETHING LIKE THAT, OR CHANGE WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME?

>> YOU KNOW, WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR TO THE END OF THE YEAR -- NOW, I HAVE BEEN AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT SEVEN YEARS -- WE ALMOST GROW BY ONE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL BY THE END OF THE YEAR, 900 STUDENTS, A WHOLE NEW SCHOOL.

NOW, YOU HAVE SEASONAL POPULATIONS IN A COUPLE OF LOCATIONS.

FEWER THAN THERE USED TO BE, BUT FOR INSTANCE, DOVER MIGHT GROW, AND YOU HAVE STUDENTS WHO MOVE IN, LIKE, AFTER CHRISTMAS.

YOU'LL HAVE -- AFTER THAT BREAK, YOU'LL HAVE MORE STUDENTS MOVING IN.

FIRST DAY, NOT EVERYBODY REGISTERS, SURPRISINGLY, AND THEN IT GROWS A LITTLE BIT, GROWS A LITTLE BIT EACH YEAR, BUT YES.

THEY GROW -- SOME SCHOOLS SHRINK, LIKE TOWARDS THE END, IF IT'S SEASONAL, STUDENTS MIGHT BE HERE AND LEAVE.

BUT WHAT YOU SEE IS SOMEWHAT OF A TREND.

YOU KNOW, A TREND LINE.

AND THEN YOU HAD TO COMPARE THIS YEAR AND LAST YEAR.

OH, THEY LOST A LOT AT THE END OF THE YEAR LAST YEAR AND THIS YEAR, SO THAT'S JUST THE WAY IT ROLLS AT THAT SCHOOL.

YOU KNOW?

AND IN CERTAIN OTHER AREAS, TURNER ELEMENTARY IS A GOOD EXAMPLE, WHERE AFTER THE WINTER BREAK, THEY GAINED, I THINK, 30 STUDENTS OR SO.

BECAUSE NEW DEVELOPMENT STARTED COMING IN.

AND THAT WAS APPROVED BEFORE WE STARTED TRACKING.

SO WE CAUGHT WAY UP WITH THAT.

WE NOW KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON THERE.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: OKAY.

AND MY LAST QUESTION, WHICH MAY BE A LITTLE OFF POINT, BUT ARE YOU SEEING THESE TRENDS MORE ACTIVE IN SUBURBAN VERSUS URBAN SCHOOLS, OR IS IT A BALANCE?

DO YOU DO ANY COMPARISON?

>> WELL, WE LOOK AT -- WHERE WE ARE PLANNING MORE SCHOOLS ARE ELEMENT ENTIRELY IN SUBURBAN AREAS.

I HAVE BEEN MONITORING THE DOWNTOWN GROWTH, GROWTH IN, SAY, YBOR CITY, IN TAMPA, IN THE PENINSULA, SOUTH TAMPA, FOR INSTANCE.

EXCEPT IN NEW TAMPA, NEW TAMPA, WHICH IS SUBURBAN, NOT THE URBAN PART.

I AM NOT FINDING A LOT OF STUDENTS COMING OUT OF SOME OF THE URBAN DEVELOPMENTS.

DOWNTOWN, I THINK I HAD LIKE 12 STUDENTS THAT WERE -- YEAH -- THAT WERE IN, LIKE, THE CHANNELSIDE AND DOWNTOWN AREA LAST YEAR.

I DIDN'T COUNT THIS YEAR YET.

I WAS SURPRISED.

I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE MORE.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: OKAY.

GOOD.

THANK YOU.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER GREEN.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS FROM COMMISSIONERS?

IS COMMISSIONER CURY.

>>BRUCE CURY: MS. VALDES, WHAT IS THE ALLOWABLE MILLAGE RATE?

>>CATHY VALDES: THE ALLOWABLE TOTALLY IS THE 2.0.

>>BRUCE CURY: OKAY.

AND WE'RE NOW AT 1.5?

>>CATHY VALDES: THAT'S CORRECT.

>>BRUCE CURY: IS THAT THE HIGHEST WE'VE EVER BEEN?

>>CATHY VALDES: IT'S THE LOWEST WE'VE EVER BEEN.

>>BRUCE CURY: THE LOWEST.

OKAY.

WE WERE HIGHER BEFORE?

>>CATHY VALDES: WE USED TO GET 2 MILLS FOR CAPITAL, AND NOW WE ARE GETTING 1.5 MILLS FOR CAPITAL.

>>BRUCE CURY: ALL RIGHT.

WHY, THEN, HAVE WE MADE THE REDUCTION IN THE FACE OF SUCH AN ENORMOUS DEBT SERVICE?

>>CATHY VALDES: THE -- WHAT HAPPENED -- THAT WAS A LEGISLATIVE ACTION ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO -- THREE OR FOUR YEARS -- I GUESS ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO NOW.

THE REASON FOR THAT WAS, OF COURSE, THE STATE WAS EXPERIENCING A LOT OF DIFFICULTY MAKING THE BUDGET.

YOU KNOW.

AND SO IN ORDER TO OPERATE SCHOOLS, JUST TO OPEN THE DOORS, THEY CUT ON THE CAPITAL SIDE AND TOOK THOSE DOLLARS FROM CAPITAL, AND THEY PUT THOSE TO OPERATING.

SO IN A SCHOOL BUDGET, YOU HAVE OPERATING DOLLARS, YOU HAVE CAPITAL DOLLARS.

>>BRUCE CURY: WASN'T THAT IN MORE -- WHEN WAS THAT?

>>CATHY VALDES: THREE YEARS AGO.

>>BRUCE CURY: MORE BUOYANT ECONOMIC TIMES?

>>CATHY VALDES: NO, IT WAS WHEN WE WERE EXPERIENCING DISTRESS, THE ECONOMIC DISTRESS IN THE STATE, AND THE STATE WAS HAVING A VERY DIFFICULT TIME FUNDING SCHOOLS.

THERE'S A VERY COMPLEX FORMULA FOR FUNDING SCHOOLS, AND THERE'S AN EQUALIZATION MODEL.

SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE WEALTHY AND THEY HAVE -- THEIR POPULATION IS PROPERTY RICH, THEN THEY ACTUALLY GIVE MORE TO THIS FUNDING MODEL THAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS SUCH AS HILLSBOROUGH, WHICH WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS, BUT WE DON'T GENERATE AS MUCH PROPERTY TAX.

THEN WE BENEFIT FROM THIS EQUALIZATION MODEL IN THE STATE.

BUT TO MAKE THAT WHOLE THING WORK, THE STATE WAS HAVING A REALLY DIFFICULT TIME WITH THEIR OVERALL BUDGET BECAUSE THEY WERE HAVING TO LOOK AT HEALTH SERVICES, EDUCATION, SOCIAL SERVICES, AND MAKING SOME VERY DIFFICULT DECISIONS.

SO LEGISLATIVELY, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT FOR EDUCATION, THAT THERE WOULD BE DOLLARS TAKEN AWAY FROM CAPITAL AND GIVEN TO OPERATING.

HOPEFULLY WHEN THINGS START MOVING ALONG WE'LL BE ABLE TO REVERSE THAT, AND THEN MAYBE WE CAN ADDRESS SOME OF THIS DEBT ISSUE.

AND ACTUALLY, MORE THAN THE DEBT ISSUE, IT'S THE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THAT PILES UP, AND I THINK THOSE WERE MORE OF THE ISSUES THAT WERE TALKED ABOUT WITH THE REPORT THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE CIVIL ENGINEERS.

BUT THE CIVIL ENGINEERS -- AMERICAN SOCIETY, YEAH, OKAY.

>>BRUCE CURY: THANK YOU.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: COMMISSIONER HOLLANDS.

>>BRIAN HOLLANDS: TO JUST FOLLOW UP ON THAT, THERE'S ALSO A LOCAL COMPONENT TO THE MILLAGE THAT CAN BE ADDED?

IT'S DISCRETIONARY?

WHICH IS A HALF MILL?

>>CATHY VALDES: THERE IS A LOCAL.

ACTUALLY, IT'S .25.

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE OTHER HALF MILL COMES IN.

I CAN GET YOU MORE INFORMATION ON THAT.

THE LOCAL MILLAGE THAT COULD BE LEVIED WAS .25.

>>BRIAN HOLLANDS: AND THAT IS CURRENTLY NOT LEVIED, AND IT IS THE SCHOOL BOARD'S DECISION?

>>CATHY VALDES: THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE SUPERINTENDENT'S DECISION TO NOT DO THAT.

I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE WELL RECEIVED AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME.

>>BRIAN HOLLANDS: I COULD STATE I WOULDN'T WANT MY PROPERTY TAX BILL TO GO UP, BUT A BILLION DOLLARS IS A LOT OF DEBT.

>>CATHY VALDES: THAT'S CORRECT.

>>BRIAN HOLLANDS: THE THIRD QUESTION I HAD DID COME TO ME, THANKFULLY.

I NOTICE AS WE ARE GOING THROUGH THIS THAT WE'VE GOT PLANNING FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS.

NOTHING, HOWEVER, FOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

WE HAVE NO CAPACITY ISSUES IN THE HIGH SCHOOL SYSTEM CURRENTLY?

>>CATHY VALDES: CURRENTLY, LOOKING OUT IN THE NEXT TEN YEARS, WE DON'T ANTICIPATE ANY CAPACITY ISSUES THAT WE COULDN'T DEAL WITH WITH OUR SCHOOL CHOICE.

WE HAVE A HUGE SCHOOL CHOICE PROGRAM IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

SO EVERY STUDENT HAS A SCHOOL THAT THEY'RE ASSIGNED BY VIRTUE OF THEIR ADDRESS, THEIR PHYSICAL ADDRESS, BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, THEY HAVE MANY MAGNET OFFERINGS AND OTHER CHOICE OFFERINGS THAT WE CAN USE THOSE PROGRAMMATIC OFFERINGS TO KIND OF BALANCE OUT ENROLLMENT, AND ESPECIALLY AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, WHERE A LOT OF STUDENTS DRIVE.

A LOT OF STUDENTS HAVE GOTTEN INTO THEIR FIELD OF STUDY THAT THEY WANT TO PURSUE.

DIFFERENT OFFERINGS ARE MORE ATTRACTIVE.

SO WE CAN DEAL IN OUR ESTIMATION AND OUR PROJECTIONS WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL ENROLLMENTS OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS.

>>BRIAN HOLLANDS: OKAY.

I AM ASSUMING AS WELL THAT IF WE LOOK AT THE CHARTER AND MAGNET SCHOOLS THAT THERE'S A GREATER PERCENTAGE OF THOSE THAT ARE HIGH SCHOOL AS OPPOSED TO SECONDARY ELEMENTARY?

>>CATHY VALDES: NOT NECESSARILY, NO.

IN FACT, THERE ARE FEWER CHARTER HIGH SCHOOLS.

THE CHARTER -- THE CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE HARDER TO FIGURE WHO IS GOING TO GO.

WE KNOW THAT GROWTH IS HAPPENING.

WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO, AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE GOING TO GO TO CHARTER.

SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO KEEP A REAL PULSE OF SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT OUR PROJECTIONS ARE ACCURATE AND THAT WE'RE PROVIDING -- THAT WE HAVE SEATS READY WHEN THE STUDENTS GET THERE.

>>BRIAN HOLLANDS: THANK YOU.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: COMMISSIONER CURY.

>>BRUCE CURY: MS. VALDES, ROUGHLY WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE STUDENTS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY ATTEND CHARTER SCHOOLS?

>>CATHY VALDES: I BELIEVE IT'S ABOUT 7.2%.

7%, UH-HUH.

>>BRUCE CURY: AND HAS THAT GROWN IN RECENT YEARS?

>>CATHY VALDES: IT HAS GROWN.

EVERY YEAR THAT WE'VE HAD CHARTERS, OF COURSE, IT HAS GROWN.

IT'S JUST THE NATURE OF CHARTER SCHOOLS.

WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, A NUMBER OF 30-SOMETHING CHARTERS IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

AND EVERY YEAR WE HAVE NEW APPLICATIONS FOR ARE THE CHARTERS.

AND EVERY YEAR, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM CLOSE.

>>BRUCE CURY: IS ANY OF THIS MONEY SHUNTED OVER TO CHARTER SCHOOLS IN ANY WAY?

>>CATHY VALDES: THERE IS AN EFFORT FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS -- AS I SAID, CHARTERS CURRENTLY GET THE PECO MONEY, THE PUBLIC EDUCATION CAPITAL OUTLAY DOLLARS.

THOSE ARE TOTALLY GOING TO CHARTER SCHOOLS PRESENTLY.

IN ADDITION TO THOSE DOLLARS --

>>BRUCE CURY: BUT THAT'S NOT REFLECTED IN THIS BUDGET?

>>CATHY VALDES: NO, IT'S NOT.

THE ONLY THING REFLECTED IN THIS BUDGET ARE DOLLARS THAT I'LL HAVE TO SPEND IN THE REGULAR, TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS.

BUT THOSE CHARTER SCHOOLS ARE -- THEY HAVE HAD SOME LEGISLATIVE ATTEMPT TO GET ADDITIONAL CAPITAL DOLLARS, BUT THOSE HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL TO DATE.

>>BRUCE CURY: DO YOU SEE -- HAVING IN MIND THAT CHARTER SCHOOLS HAVE GROWN, DO YOU SEE IN THE FUTURE THERE WILL BE SOME INFLUENCE UPON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT HAVE TO BE PROVIDED FOR IN THIS BUDGET BECAUSE THEY HAVE FOUND A PLACE IN CHARTER SCHOOLS?

>>CATHY VALDES: AND THAT'S WHY THE STATE DOES THEIR OWN PROJECTIONS AND THEY GIVE THOSE TO US, NOT BY SCHOOL BUT BY DISTRICT.

THE STATE GIVES US THEIR PROJECTIONS OF HOW MANY STUDENTS THEY THINK THAT WILL GROW OR DECLINE.

THE STATE PROJECTIONS STILL ARE BANKING ON MORE STUDENTS GOING TO CHARTER.

THAT WILL REMAIN TO BE SEEN.

BECAUSE AS I SAID, EVERY YEAR SOME OPEN, BUT SOME CLOSE.

SO WE'LL SEE.

THERE HAS BEEN A GROWTH IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS.

I THINK THAT WILL LEVEL OFF.

I THINK THAT PUBLIC EDUCATION -- IT'S NO LONGER A MONOPOLY.

YOU HAVE TO PRETTY MUCH VIE FOR THE SAME AND COMPETE.

AND THAT'S NOT A BAD THING.

THAT COULD BE A VERY POSITIVE THING.

>>BRUCE CURY: AND SO AS A RESULT OF THAT COMPETITION, THEN CHARTER SCHOOLS MAY FIND IT MORE DIFFICULT, AS PUBLIC SCHOOLS DID WITH THE INITIAL INTRODUCTION OF CHARTER SCHOOLS?

>>CATHY VALDES: THAT'S WHAT I THINK, MR. CURY.

THAT'S A PERSONAL COMMENT, THOUGH.

>>BRUCE CURY: THANK YOU.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

COMMISSIONER PIKE.

>>GARY PIKE: HOW MANY STUDENTS ARE THERE, MS. VALDES?

190,000?

>>CATHY VALDES: CURRENTLY, WE ARE PROJECTING -- TODAY WAS OUR FIFTH DAY COUNT, AND THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT DAY IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS BECAUSE WE USE THAT COUNT TO PROJECT OUR UNITS, SO THAT'S WHEN TEACHERS ARE ADJUSTED, OFF THAT COUNT, WHETHER A SCHOOL HAD MORE STUDENTS, THEY ARE GOING TO GAIN TEACHING UNITS, WHETHER THEY HAD FEWER STUDENTS, THEY MAY LOSE UNITS.

WE ARE EXPECTED TO REACH ABOUT 200,000 BY THE 20th DAY.

>>GARY PIKE: OUR BUDGET IS -- OVERALL BUDGET, CAPITAL, ALL BUDGETS, 2.3 --

>>CATHY VALDES: CLOSE TO $3 BILLION, UH-HUH.

>>GARY PIKE: THAT INCLUDES THE MONIES WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HERE, JUST IN DIFFERENT BUCKET?

>>CATHY VALDES: EXACTLY.

THAT ALSO INCLUDES THE CAPITAL DOLLARS FOR CHARTER.

>>GARY PIKE: WHEN YOU LOOK AT OTHER BUDGETS, DO THEY BENCHMARK PER STUDENT?

I KNOW PRIVATE SCHOOL HAS THE RANGE AND WHAT THE AVERAGE IS.

DO WE HAVE AN IDEA WHERE WE STAND WITH THAT?

>>CATHY VALDES: YOU MEAN OVERALL?

>>GARY PIKE: WHEN YOU TAKE A LOOK AND SAY WE SPEND $3 BILLION, WE HAVE SO MANY STUDENTS, HOW MUCH PER STUDENT, DO WE KNOW WHERE WE RANK?

IS THAT GROWING?

DOES IT GET LESS WITH CHARTER SCHOOLS AND SOME OF THE NEW INNOVATIONS IN DELIVERING?

>>CATHY VALDES: I CAN CERTAINLY GET THIS INFORMATION.

THIS IS NOT IN THE CAPITAL REALM.

BUT THE BASE STUDENT ALLOCATION HAS GONE DOWN.

I THINK THAT THERE'S LESS SPENDING PER STUDENT WHEN YOU LOOK AT ALL THE -- ALL OF WHAT GETS FED INTO THAT FORMULA.

I THINK WE'RE ACTUALLY SPENDING LESS, BUT I CAN CERTAINLY GET THAT INFORMATION, BRING IT BACK TO YOU.

>>GARY PIKE: I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU OFFLINE BECAUSE I REALIZE THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT, BUT I WAS JUST KIND OF CURIOUS HOW THE NUMBERS ARE WORKING, IF WE'RE GAINING OR LOSING.

>>CATHY VALDES: LET ME GET THAT BACK TO YOU.

>>GARY PIKE: THANKS.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: MR. CHAIRMAN?

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: COMMISSIONER GREEN.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: ONE LAST QUESTION.

IT SORT OF RELATES TO COMMISSIONER PIKE'S QUESTION ABOUT NEW SCHOOLS WITH, LET'S SAY, A SPECIAL FOCUS.

IS IT CHARTER SCHOOLS CAN ONLY HAVE A SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL FOCUS?

AND I NOTICED THERE WASN'T ANY -- EVEN LET'S SEE -- UP TO 2018, THERE'S NO NEW SCHOOL THAT HAS ANY TYPE OF SPECIAL PURPOSE OR FOCUS, EDUCATIONAL FOCUS, LET'S SAY.

>>CATHY VALDES: WELL, LET ME JUST SAY TO YOU, THAT'S IN THE NEW SCHOOL ARENA.

EVERY YEAR -- EVERY YEAR IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY -- BECAUSE I TALKED ABOUT THE CHOICE OFFERINGS THAT WE HAVE -- WE ADD SOME MAGNET SCHOOL.

WE ADD A CHOICE SCHOOL THAT'S GOT A PARTICULAR FOCUS.

IN FACT, THIS YEAR WE HAVE ADDED COLLEGIATE ACADEMIES.

SO WE HAVE A COLLEGIATE ACADEMY AT LETO, AN ACADEMY AT ARMWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, AT AN ACADEMY AT LENNARD HIGH SCHOOL.

STUDENTS CAN GO TO THOSE SCHOOLS, AND BY THE TIME THEY GRADUATE, THEY CAN GRADUATE NOT ONLY WITH A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA, BUT THEY CAN GRADUATE WITH AN AA DEGREE.

RIVERHILLS IS A NEW IB PROGRAM THAT WE OPENED THIS YEAR AS WELL, RIGHT IN THE TEMPLE TERRACE AREA.

SO EVERY YEAR.

AND I'M KEENLY AWARE BECAUSE THAT ALWAYS IMPACTS TRANSPORTATION, AND TRANSPORTATION IS IN THE FACILITIES DIVISION NOW.

SO EVERY YEAR WE HAVE NEW PROGRAMS.

AND ALL OF THAT IS A WAY TO ADDRESS STUDENT NEED, STUDENT WANT.

YOU KNOW, SOMETHING THAT'S OF A PARTICULAR INTEREST THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING FOR OUR STUDENTS WHAT THEY WANT AND WHAT THEY'RE PAYING FOR.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: THANK YOU.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: THANK YOU, MS. VALDES.

WE WILL CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT, AND MS. KELLY, YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION FOR US?

>> YOUR MIC'S OFF.

>>KRISTA KELLY: SORRY ABOUT THAT.

KRISTA KELLY, PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF.

STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION APPROVE A RESOLUTION FINDING THE PROPOSED SCHOOL DISTRICT FIVE-YEAR WORK PROGRAM FACILITIES PLAN CONSISTENT WITH THE FUTURE OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE CITY OF PLANT CITY, THE TAMPA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, AND THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE CITY OF TEMPLE TERRACE, AND FORWARD THIS RECOMMENDATION TO THE SCHOOL BOARD.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: THANK YOU, MS. KELLY.

I WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

>>BRUCE CURY: I MOVE APPROVAL OF THE ATTACHED RESOLUTION AND FOR A FINDING OF CONSISTENCY WITH THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: SECOND.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: WE HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER CURY AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER GREEN.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION?

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY AYE.

[CHORUS OF AYES]

THOSE OPPOSED?

MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUS FROM MEMBERS PRESENT.

WE WILL MOVE ON TO ITEM NUMBER 3 ON OUR AGENDA, THE TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 2012 MASTER PLAN.

MR. COLLEGE.

>>SHAWN COLLEGE: GOOD AFTERNOON, COMMISSIONERS.

SHAWN COLLEGE, PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF.

THIS ITEM IS THE TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT'S 2012 MASTER PLAN UPDATE.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS ITEM IS TO REVIEW THE MASTER PLAN UPDATE FOR CONSISTENCY WITH BOTH THE CITY OF TAMPA AND THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLANS.

AND THIS IS PER CHAPTER 97-351, LAWS OF FLORIDA, WHICH REQUIRES ALL MASTER PLANS AND LONG-RANGE PLANS TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION FOR A CONSISTENCY DETERMINATION.

THE PLAN WAS SUBMITTED BY THE AVIATION AUTHORITY TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION ON JULY 10, 2013.

COORDINATION AND REVIEW THUS FAR.

PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF HAS PARTICIPATED AT NUMEROUS MEETINGS AND BRIEFINGS DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS PLAN.

THE PLANNING COMMISSION ITSELF, YOU MAY RECALL, YOU RECEIVED A FULL PRESENTATION OF THIS PLAN BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AVIATION AUTHORITY, MR. LOPANO, IN 2012.

HERE AT THE PLANNING COMMISSION, OUR STAFF, IT'S A VERY WIDE-REACHING PLAN, SO WE HAVE SEVERAL OF OUR TEAMS HERE THAT WORKED TOGETHER TO REVIEW THIS DOCUMENT AND REVIEW IT FOR CONSISTENCY.

THE UPDATE PROCESS THAT THE AVIATION AUTHORITY UNDERWENT, THERE WAS AN UPDATE PROCESS BEGAN IN LATE 2011.

THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT PUBLIC COMMUNITY INPUT.

THE PLAN ADDRESSES AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS AND PROPERTY USE FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS.

IT'S THREE VOLUMES, THREE LARGE VOLUMES, FOR THE OVERALL PLAN.

IN YOUR PACKET IS THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THAT PLAN.

ON YOUR SCREEN IS, OF COURSE, THE OVERVIEW IMAGE OF THE AIRPORT, TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS IN OUR REVIEW THAT WE FOUND IN REVIEWING THIS PLAN, IT WAS A THREE-PHASE PLAN, FIRST BEING ONE OF ADDRESSING CONGESTION FOR THE AIRPORT.

THE PHASE 2 WOULD BE PROJECTS THAT ALLOW FOR FUTURE EXPANSION AT THE MAIN TERMINAL.

AND PHASE 3 WOULD BE AN EXPANSION OF THE MAIN TERMINAL.

AND I AM JUST GIVING YOU THE HIGHLIGHTS BECAUSE MY UNDERSTANDING IS MR. LOPANO IS PRESENT TODAY AND IS GOING TO ADDRESS YOU AFTER MY PRESENTATION AND GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR CONSISTENCY.

WE REVIEWED THIS PLAN, AND WE'VE IDENTIFIED A NUMBER OF POLICIES IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FOR -- THAT IDENTIFY CONSISTENCY.

WE'VE IDENTIFIED OBJECTIVE 6.4 AND POLICY 6.3.2, 6.4.1, AND 6.4.2.

THESE POLICIES ADDRESS THE PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEW FOR CONSISTENCY DETERMINATION, COORDINATION WITH KEY TRANSPORTATION ELEMENTS AND THE CIP, COORDINATION AND CONSISTENCY WITH KEY ELEMENTS OF THE COMP PLAN, AND AVOIDING AND MINIMIZING IMPACTS TO NATURAL RESOURCES AND NEIGHBORHOODS.

WITH REGARD TO THE CITY OF TAMPA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED POLICY 19.6.7 AND OBJECTIVE 48.5 AND DIRECTLY ADDRESSING CONSISTENCY.

AND THESE POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES TALK ABOUT COORDINATION OF THE AIRPORT WITH LAND USE COMPATIBILITY IN THE AREA AND COORDINATION WITH THE AIRPORT TO MAXIMIZE ECONOMIC BENEFITS AND MINIMIZE ADVERSE IMPACTS.

IN ADDITION TO THE CONSISTENCY DETERMINATION, STAFF'S REVIEW IDENTIFIED SOME COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS THAT DO NOT ADDRESS CONSISTENCY, BUT WE THOUGHT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO POINT THESE THINGS OUT TO HELP ENSURE THAT BOTH AGENCIES COORDINATE AND IN THE FUTURE THESE ARE ADDRESSED IN THE STAFF REPORT.

THEY ADDRESS LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT, THE PARKWAY CONFIGURATION, AND A TERMINAL BUS STOP.

AND WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT THESE COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS BE POINTED OUT AND TRANSMITTED TO THE AIRPORT, BUT THEY ARE NOT CONSISTENCY COMMENTS.

WITH ALL THOSE CONSIDERATIONS, STAFF WOULD LIKE TO RECOMMEND THAT YOU ISSUE THE RESOLUTION IN YOUR PACKET FINDING CONSISTENCY WITH BOTH THE CITY OF TAMPA AND THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLANS, AND ALSO RECOMMEND TO YOU THAT YOU TAKE ACTION TO TRANSMIT THAT RESOLUTION AND THE COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS THAT WE IDENTIFIED IN THE STAFF REPORT.

AT THIS POINT, I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE AVIATION AUTHORITY, MR. LOPANO, WHO CAN GIVE YOU SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

>>JOE LOPANO: THAT WAS VERY COMPREHENSIVE, SO I PROBABLY DON'T HAVE TO GO THROUGH MY POWERPOINT.

GOOD WORK, SHAWN.

THANK YOU.

MY NAME IS JOE LOPANO.

I AM THE CEO AT TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, AND THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO APPEAR BEFORE YOU HERE TODAY.

THE STAFF HAS REVIEWED OUR PLAN -- I PRESENTED IT HERE IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR TO THIS BODY, AND IT'S -- THE FIRST PHASE IS A FIVE-YEAR PLAN, BUT IT ENCOMPASSES 20 YEARS, AND THE TOTAL COST IS APPROXIMATELY 2.5 BILLION.

THE FIRST PHASE, WHICH IS THE DECONGESTION PHASE THAT SHAWN REFERRED TO, WILL BE ABOUT 900 MILLION.

BUT WE HAVE IT HERE, I KIND OF LIKE DOING THIS ANYWAYS, SO I AM GOING TO GO THROUGH IT.

IT'S MY FAVORITE SLIDE SHOW.

YEAH, SO OVER A 20-YEAR PERIOD, YOU CAN SEE WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR PASSENGER GROWTH.

WE SUFFERED GREATLY, WE SUFFERED 14% DECLINES BECAUSE OF THE TRIPLE PERFECT STORM THAT I DESCRIBED TO YOU, WHICH WAS THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT, THE FLORIDA HOUSING MELT-DOWN, AND THEN THE SCARE ABOUT OIL SPILL.

SO WE PROJECT THAT WE'RE GOING TO COME BACK INTO THE YEAR 2016 WE WILL GET BACK TO WHERE WE WERE, THEN WE ARE GOING TO GROW.

THE RED IS INTERNATIONAL.

THAT'S WHERE WE SEE THE GREATEST OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH.

I AM OPTIMISTIC, SO I ALWAYS THINK THERE'S SOMETHING GOOD.

THIS DOWNTURN GAVE US A CHANCE TO TAKE A BREATH AND SAY WHERE DO WE NEED TO GO?

DO WE REALLY NEED A NORTH TERMINAL?

DO WE NEED THOSE KINDS OF THINGS?

IT WAS VERY FORTUNATE WE DID DO THAT BECAUSE SINCE THAT TIME, THE AIRLINE BUSINESS HAS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY.

AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S ONLY THREE OR FOUR MAJOR AIRLINES.

THERE'S NO MORE OZARK, REPUBLIC, CONTINENTAL.

ALL THOSE GUYS ARE GONE.

THE MAJOR ISSUES WE HAD TO DEAL WITH WITH THE STUDY IS THE MAIN TERMINAL IS NEARING ITS MAXIMUM CAPACITY.

THE BUILDING, ALTHOUGH IS BRILLIANT IN ITS DESIGN, IS BEGINNING TO MAX OUT.

THERE ARE CERTAIN ELEMENTS OF THE BUILDING THAT CAN'T HANDLE MORE THAN 20 MILLION PASSENGERS, AND WE ARE AT 17 MILLION NOW.

OUR RENTAL CAR CAPACITY IS ALREADY BEYOND ITS LIMITS, SO ALTHOUGH IT'S CONVENIENT AND PEOPLE LIKE THE IDEA YOU CAN WALK ACROSS THE STREET AND GET A RENTAL CAR, THE PROBLEM IS THAT YOU CAN WALK ACROSS THE STREET AND WAIT 20 MINUTES FOR YOUR RENTAL CAR BECAUSE THEY CAN'T TURN IT AROUND QUICK ENOUGH BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE CAPACITY.

IF WE ARE GOING TO GROW -- WE ARE THE NINTH LARGEST RENTAL CAR MARKET IN THE COUNTRY, AND IF WE ARE GOING TO GROW THAT PIECE OF THE BUSINESS, WE HAVE TO MAKE PROVISIONS FOR EXPANSION ON THAT AREA.

THE CURBSIDE CAPACITY IS BEYOND LIMITS TODAY, SO WE'VE HAD TO MAKE SOME CHANGES.

YOU MAY KNOW THAT WE CHANGED THE WAITING POLICY IN THE -- AT THE CURBSIDE, WHICH HAS HELPED SOMEWHAT.

BUT WE DO STILL HAVE MAJOR BUS CONGESTION PROBLEMS AND SO ON ON THE CURBSIDES, WHICH YOU HAVE TO ADDRESS.

THEN INTERNATIONAL GROWTH CANNOT BE SUSTAINED.

IN FACT, WHEN I FIRST CAME TO THE AIRPORT AFTER INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS, WE GOT EDELWEISS TO FLY TO ZURICH, AND YOU PROBABLY KNOW.

THAT WAS FUN AND GREAT, BUT THEN THE GUYS TOLD ME WE CAN'T HANDLE THAT FLIGHT BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A BAGGAGE CLAIM AREA THAT CAN HANDLE 600 PASSENGERS AN HOUR.

SO ESSENTIALLY, WE WERE AT MAX WHEN BRITISH AIRWAYS HAD ONE FLIGHT A DAY.

SO WE'VE SINCE THEN TRIPLED THAT CAPACITY.

NOW WE CAN HANDLE TRIPLE WIDE BODY SIMULTANEOUSLY, BUT THAT CAPACITY WILL ALSO BE DRAINED OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS, SO WE HAVE TO BE READY FOR THE NEXT PHASE.

OUR OPPORTUNITIES ARE THAT THE MAIN TERMINAL CAN HANDLE GREATER THAN 20 YEARS OF GROWTH IF WE DECONGEST THE CENTRAL TERMINAL AREA.

SO THE MEANING OF THAT IS THAT WE DON'T HAVE TO GO TO A NORTH TERMINAL AND REBUILD ROADWAYS AND GARAGES.

WE CAN USE OUR EXISTING TERMINAL AND EXPAND IT.

WE CAN DECONGEST THE MAIN TERMINAL EFFECTIVELY.

IT SOLVES OUR ROADWAY AND CURBSIDE CONGESTION ISSUES.

OUR INTERNATIONAL FACILITIES CAN COME ONLINE AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE.

SO WE WON'T BUILD IT AND THEN THEY'LL COME; WE'LL LET THEM COME, AND THEN WE'LL BUILD IT.

THIS IS A VERY SCALABLE AND MEASURED APPROACH TO GROWTH.

AND OUR CAPITAL OUTLAYS CAN BE SPREAD OUT OVER 20 YEARS.

WE SORT OF TOOK ADVANTAGE OF GEORGE BEAN AND THE GUYS, WHEN THEY ORIGINALLY DESIGNED THE TERMINAL.

IT'S BRILLIANT FROM THE STANDPOINT YOU HAVE A MAIN TERMINAL AREA WHERE EVERYBODY GETS PROCESSED, THEN THEY TAKE PEOPLE MOVERS TO THEIR FLIGHTS.

WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS WE ARE GOING TO STICK TO THAT DESIGN AND ADHERE TO NO WALKING DISTANCE IS MORE THAN 700 FEET.

ONE OF THE REASONS WHY PEOPLE LOVE TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS BECAUSE YOU DON'T WALK VERY FAR EVER.

THERE WAS A PLANNING DOCUMENT BACK IN 1978 THAT SAID 700 FEET IS THE MAXIMUM.

SO WE GAVE THAT TO OUR PLANNERS AND SAID STICK WITH THAT MAXIMUM.

WE DO NOT WANT TO VIOLATE THE ORIGINAL PRINCIPLE.

AND WE DID NOT.

THIS PLAN IS VERY MODULAR, AND IT ALLOWS US TO EXPAND WHEN WE NEED TO.

THE FIRST PHASE IS $935 MILLION, AND THIS IS THE DECONGESTION PHASE.

WHAT WE DO IS WE CREATE A -- WE CREATE A LARGER FOOTPRINT IN THE MAIN TERMINAL, AND WE BUILD A PEOPLE MOVER STATION ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE AIRPORT THAT RUNS 1.3 MILES DOWN TO A CONSOLIDATED RENTAL CAR FACILITY.

SO ALL THE RENTAL CAR TRAFFIC, 8500 CARS A DAY, COME OFF THE ROADWAYS.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO RETURN A RENTAL CAR, DRIVE RIGHT UP TO THE TERMINAL AND CONGEST THE CURBSIDES.

AFTER YOU RENT A CAR, YOU ARE NOT CONGESTING THE CURBSIDES EITHER.

YOU ARE GOING TO RENT YOUR CAR RIGHT HERE, AND WHEN YOU ARE READY TO GO, YOU GET RIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY.

WHEN YOU COME BACK, YOU RETURN IT RIGHT HERE.

YOU ARE NOT INTERACTING WITH US ON OUR ROADWAYS ANYMORE.

ALLOWS US TO DELAY EXPANDING OUR ROADWAYS FOR TEN YEARS.

HERE'S WHAT THE APM STATION WOULD LOOK LIKE OR MIGHT LOOK LIKE ON THE EAST SIDE.

YOU CAN SEE VERY, VERY MODERN LOOKING.

THIS WOULD BE -- RIGHT OVER HERE IS BASICALLY WHERE THE SMOKING DECK IS TODAY, AND THIS WOULD BE THE NEW APM STATION.

THIS IS WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE INSIDE.

AGAIN, VERY MODERN.

IT WILL BE A GREAT ADDITION TO THE AIRPORT.

HERE IS THE ROUTING OF THE APM SYSTEM, AND IT WILL MAKE ONE STOP AT THE ECONOMY GARAGE, WHERE WE HAVE BUSING OPERATIONS TODAY.

WE CAN NOW ELIMINATE THOSE BUSING OPERATIONS, SAVE MONEY AND POLLUTION, AND THEN YOUR NEXT STOP IS CONSOLIDATED RENTAL CAR CENTER RIGHT HERE.

WE HAVE FUTURE PLANS.

THIS IS WHAT THE CONSOLIDATED RENTAL CAR FACILITY SHOULD LOOK LIKE DOWN ON THE SOUTH SIDE.

WE ALSO PLAN ON MOVING OUR EMPLOYEE PARKING DOWN THERE AT SOME POINT IN THE FUTURE AS WELL.

SO AS IT'S BUILT OUT, THIS IS LOOKING SOUTH, SO HERE IS THE PEOPLE MOVER SYSTEM I AM DESCRIBING.

IT WOULD GO PAST RUNWAY 10 TO 8, PULL INTO THE GARAGE, THEN DOWN HERE TO THE APM CENTER.

THIS MIGHT BE A GAS COMPLEX, A RESTAURANT COMPLEX, A HOTEL, ALL CONNECTED BY DRAIN TO THE MAIN TERMINAL.

NOW, IT GOES FURTHER.

THE IDEA WOULD BE SINCE WE NOW HAVE A TRAIN THAT COMES DOWN HERE OR AN APM, WE MAY BE ABLE TO EXTEND THAT TO A FUTURE WESTSHORE MULTIMODAL FACILITY IF THAT EVER HAPPENS.

IF IT DOES, WE WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT VERY, VERY EASILY.

NOW, ORIGINALLY -- AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT WAS RAISED BY STAFF -- THE RAIL WENT RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE AIRPORT IN THE LAST MASTER PLAN AND WENT TO THE NORTH SIDE.

WHAT WE DETERMINED WAS THAT WAS VERY, VERY UNWORKABLE FROM THE STANDPOINT OF RUNNING THE AIRPORT.

WE WOULD PUT THE AIRPORT AT JEOPARDY BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE TRAIN RUNS RIGHT THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF IT.

THIS BEING AS IMPORTANT AN ECONOMIC ENGINE, WE TRIED TO FIND ANOTHER ANSWER TO THAT.

AND THE ANSWER WE FOUND IS THIS ONE, WHERE WE CAN CONNECT TO AN INTERMODAL FACILITY RIGHT HERE.

THIS MIGHT BE CALLED THE TAMPA INTERNATIONAL WESTSHORE STATION.

YOU GET OFF, IT WOULD LOOK LIKE ONE OF OUR TERMINALS.

THERE WOULD BE CONCESSIONS IN THERE, YOU GET A BOARDING PASS, GET ON A TRAIN, THE NEXT STOP IS THE MAIN TERMINAL, AND YOU ARE BOARDING YOUR AIRPLANE.

ALTHOUGH WE LOVE PARKING REVENUE, THIS WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO FORGO THAT PARKING AND USE MASS TRANSIT TO GET TO THE AIRPORT.

THIS IS WHAT THE CONNECTION TO THE WESTSHORE AREA MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

THIS IS A COPY THAT'S IN THEIR MASTER PLAN.

SO THEY'RE PRETTY SERIOUS ABOUT THINKING ABOUT THIS HAPPENING.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE WANT TO DO IS THESE SHUTTLE CARS, AS YOU KNOW, COME RIGHT INTO THE TERMINAL, AND AS THE CARS LET OUT, IF THEY ARE FULL, YOU HAVE THIS INTERACTION TRYING TO GET TO THE ESCALATORS IN HERE, PLUS YOU HAVE METER GREETERS AND SO ON.

WE ARE ALREADY PRETTY MUCH AT MAX CAPACITY THERE, SO WE HAVE TO CREATE MORE ROOM ON THE MAIN TERMINAL, AND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO BUMP OUT THOSE PLAZA DECKS, WHICH I'M SURE EVERYBODY IN TAMPA KNOWS THE AIRPORT SO WELL, IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE HOW MUCH EVERYBODY KNOWS, BUT IF YOU LOOK OUT, YOU SEE THOSE ROCKS AND WE HAVE PLANTS OUTSIDE, WE ARE JUST GOING TO BUILD OUT ON TOP OF THAT AND EXPAND THE FOOTPRINT.

BUT THE OTHER THING IS WE ARE GOING TO MOVE THESE SHUTTLE BAYS BACK.

HERE'S WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

LOOK AT ALL THE ADDITIONAL ROOM YOU GET BY MOVING THESE SHUTTLE BAYS BACK.

THAT WILL GIVE US PLENTY OF CAPACITY ON THE EXISTING MAIN TERMINAL FOOTPRINT.

THE SECOND PHASE IS AN ENABLING PHASE, WHICH BASICALLY IS -- INVOLVES DEMOLITION TO THE NORTH SIDE OF THE EXISTING TERMINAL.

SO INSTEAD OF GOING UP HERE AND BUILD A NEW NORTH TERMINAL WITH ROADWAYS AND PARKING LOTS AND PARKING STRUCTURES AND SO ON, WE'RE GOING TO BUILD A NORTH TERMINAL, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE ATTACHED TO THE MAIN TERMINAL.

THIS WAY YOU DON'T HAVE CONFUSION WHERE I WENT OUT OF THE SOUTH TERMINAL, I LANDED IN THE NORTH TERMINAL, NOW I'VE GOT TO TAKE A SHUTTLE BUS BACK.

THAT SOUNDS LIKE WAY TOO MANY AIRPORTS IN THIS COUNTRY, AND WE ARE NOT GOING TO GO THERE.

HERE'S WHAT THIS MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

THE THIRD PHASE WOULD BE A $1.2-BILLION PHASE, CREATES MORE THAN 13,000 JOBS.

THAT'S ALL THE WAY OUT IN 2023, 2031.

ONCE WE'VE REMOVED THE HOTEL AND FAA CONTROL TOWER, WE CAN BEGIN TO EXPAND TO THE NORTH WITH A NEW TERMINAL BUILDING ATTACHED TO THE MAIN TERMINAL.

AND HERE'S WHAT IT MIGHT LOOK LIKE.

THIS WOULD ALL BE NEW.

THIS RIGHT NOW IS TGI FRIDAYS RIGHT HERE, AND THIS WOULD BE CARRABBAS.

SO THAT WALKWAY THAT GOES TO THE HOTEL WOULD NOW BECOME A CONSOLIDATED TSA CHECKPOINT.

SO EVERYONE FOR TERMINAL C, AIRSIDE C, AND A NEW INTERNATIONAL D, WOULD GO THROUGH A CONSOLIDATED CHECKPOINT RIGHT HERE, AND THEN TAKE A TRAIN EITHER OUT TO C OR OUT TO D, AND THEN YOU COULD RECAPTURE ALL THE SECURITY CHECKPOINT AREA THAT'S OUT AT C, TURN THAT INTO A SHOPPING VILLAGE, AND CREATE MORE REVENUES AND A BETTER CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE.

BUT THE COOL THING ABOUT THIS ALSO IS YOU CAN COME IN ON SOUTHWEST FROM BALTIMORE AT C AND GO OVER HERE TO THE INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL AND GO TO BOGATA OR PANAMA, CONNECTING NOW WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH SECURITY AGAIN.

SO WE CAN CREATE CONNECTING OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT OUR INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS.

WE ALSO TOOK A LOOK AT OUR PERIMETER PARCELS.

WE HAD SEVEN AREAS THAT WE IDENTIFIED AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH RIGHT NOW THE HIGHEST AND BEST USE FOR THAT LAND.

WE, AS AN AIRPORT, HAVE TO BEGIN TO GO INTO THE REAL ESTATE BUSINESS BECAUSE THE AIRLINES HAVE REALLY CAPPED THEIR CAPACITY.

THEY'RE PRETTY MATURE BUSINESS, AND WE CAN'T EXPECT A WHOLE LOT OF REVENUE GROWTH THERE, SO WE HAVE TO DIVERSIFY THAT REVENUE.

WE ALSO HOPE TO BUILD A MAINTENANCE, REPAIR, AND OVERHAUL SUPPORT AREA OVER ON THE EAST SIDE, THE OLD DREW PARK AREA, AND CREATE WHAT I WOULD CALL A SMALL MAINTENANCE CITY HERE, WHICH ONCE YOU GET IT BUILT, YOU THEN NEED, AGAIN, GAS STATIONS, RESTAURANTS, AND SO ON.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES THERE AS WELL.

SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: THANK YOU, MR. LOPANO.

BEFORE WE GET INTO COMMISSIONER COMMENTS, I'D LIKE TO SEE IF THERE'S ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WHO WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK EITHER FOR OR AGAINST THIS AGENDA ITEM.

I SEE NONE, SO NOW OPEN IT TO COMMISSIONER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

COMMISSIONER THROWER.

>>MITCH THROWER: I WANT TO SAY I WORK FOR THE AVIATION AUTHORITY.

THEREFORE, I HAVE A VOTING CONFLICT.

I COMPLETED THE FORM AND WILL ABSTAIN FROM VOTING.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS?

COMMISSIONER PIKE?

NO?

NO QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS?

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, MR. LOPANO.

>>JOE LOPANO: THANK YOU.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: PUBLIC COMMENT WILL BE CLOSED, AND WE WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION.

>>GARY PIKE: MOVE THAT WE FIND THE TAMPA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT PLAN CONSISTENT WITH HILLSBOROUGH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN AND THE CITY OF TAMPA COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

>>JACQUELINE WILDS: SECOND.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: I HAVE A MOTION BY COMMISSIONER PIKE AND A SECOND BY COMMISSIONER WILDS.

IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION?

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, SIGNIFY BY AYE.

[CHORUS OF AYES]

THOSE OPPOSED.

MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY BY COMMISSIONERS PRESENT.

THAT BRINGS US TO ITEM NUMBER 4 ON OUR AGENDA FOR THIS AFTERNOON'S MEETING, A PRESENTATION BY GREENLIGHT PINELLAS.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: MR. CHAIRMAN.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: MR. GREEN.

>>THEODORE TRENT GREEN: I JUST HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION.

IS THE ENTIRE AIRPORT MASTER PLAN ON FILE HERE IN THE PLANNING COMMISSION?

IS IT ON YOUR WEBSITE, MR. LOPANO?

>>JOE LOPANO: THE ENTIRE MASTER PLAN?

IT WAS SUBMITTED TO THE PLANNING COMMISSION, SO SHAWN COLLEGE WOULD HAVE COPIES OF THAT AND A PDF FOR YOU TO REVIEW.

I THINK YOU'VE HAD ATTACHED TO YOUR DOCUMENTS THIS MORNING OUR EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE MASTER PLAN, WHICH IS A NICE OVERVIEW OF ALL THE DOCUMENTS INCLUDED.

>> THANK YOU.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: MS. ZORNITTA.

>>MELISSA ZORNITTA: GOOD AFTERNOON.

MELISSA ZORNITTA, PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF.

YOUR LAST AGENDA ITEM THIS AFTERNOON IS A PRESENTATION FROM GREENLIGHT PINELLAS, WHICH IS A COMPONENT OF THE PINELLAS SUNCOAST TRANSIT AUTHORITY, AND MISS CASSANDRA BORCHERS IS HERE TO GIVE THAT PRESENTATION.

>> THANK YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

I'M CASSANDRA BORCHERS.

I AM THE CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER OVER AT PSTA.

SOME OF YOU MAY REMEMBER ME FROM MY WORK OVER HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH, INCLUDING A LONG TIME AGO THE HILLSBOROUGH -- THE TAMPA RAIL PLAN AND THE EIS, AS WELL AS THE TBARTA MASTER PLAN.

SO I'M HAPPY TO BE BACK HERE TO GIVE YOU A PRESENTATION.

WORKING ON TRANSIT IN THIS REGION HAS BEEN A LABOR OF LOVE, AS YOUR EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KNOWS, SO I AM GOING TO GIVE YOU JUST A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF WHAT WE ARE DOING OVER THE WEST SIDE OF THE BAY.

PSTA TODAY OPERATES 43 ROUTES.

WE HAVE COVERAGE ALL OVER THE COUNTY.

BUT AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS MAP, OUR FREQUENCY IS VERY LOW.

FOR A COUNTY OF OUR SIZE AND OUR POPULATION, WHAT WE'VE INVESTED IN OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM IS PRETTY BAD.

WE DON'T HAVE SPONTANEOUS USE SERVICE.

WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO REALLY MAKE THE CHOICE TO TAKE TRANSIT.

AND WE'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THAT.

WE'VE HAD HISTORIC RIDERSHIP.

JUST AS HART HAS SEEN HISTORIC RIDERSHIP OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, WE HAVE AS WELL, AND THAT MEANS THAT A LOT OF OUR BUSES ARE OVERCROWDED.

AT ANY POINT DURING THE DAY, YOU WILL FIND A BUS IN PINELLAS COUNTY THAT IS FULL, STANDING ROOM ONLY, WHETHER THAT'S THE CENTRAL AVENUE TROLLEY FIRST THING IN THE MORNING WHEN THE HOTEL WORKERS ARE TRYING TO GET TO THE BEACH OR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE AFTERNOON, WHEN PEOPLE ARE GOING FROM DOWNTOWN CLEARWATER TO DOWNTOWN ST. PETE.

AS WE START TO LOOK FORWARD, WE LOOK AT HOW WE ARE GOING TO MAINTAIN OUR TRANSIT SERVICE AND ALSO EXPAND IT, AND WE SAID LET'S SET A DEADLINE FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN.

LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW WE ARE REALLY GOING TO DO THIS THIS TIME.

AND IN JANUARY, OUR BOARD AGREED TO SEND IT TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS TO ASK, TO CALL THE QUESTION, WILL WE HAVE A REFERENDUM IN PINELLAS COUNTY?

AND IN FEBRUARY, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS SET THE DATE FOR US.

THEY SAID WE WILL SCHEDULE A VOTE.

WE WILL TALK ABOUT THIS OVER THE NEXT YEAR WHILE YOU GET YOUR PLANS TOGETHER, AND WE WILL CALL THE QUESTION.

SO OUR PLAN IS NOT THIS NOVEMBER BUT NEXT NOVEMBER TO TAKE THIS QUESTION TO THE VOTERS.

WILL WE, IN PINELLAS COUNTY, INSTITUTE A ONE-CENT SALES TAX TO GO TO THE EXPANSION OF O YOU ARE TRANSIT SYSTEM?

AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE ELIMINATION OF OUR AD VALOREM THAT WE CURRENTLY GET AS OUR LOCAL FUNDING SOURCE AT PSTA.

JUST LIKE HILLSBOROUGH, WE HAVE BEEN AT THIS A VERY LONG TIME, AND WE KEEP COMING UP WITH THE SAME ANSWER AS OUR MAJOR CORRIDOR, GETTING FROM CLEARWATER THROUGH THE GATEWAY AREA TO DOWNTOWN ST. PETE.

WE'VE BEEN AT THIS A LONG TIME, AND WE KEEP COMING AROUND TO THE SAME THING.

NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT RAIL, BOTH OVER HERE IN HILLSBOROUGH AND IN PINELLAS, BUT WE KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE IN TRANSIT, DEVELOPING TRANSIT SYSTEMS, THE BUS IS THE BACKBONE OF ANY SYSTEM.

SO THE PHONE FOUNDATION OF OUR PLAN IS A TRANSFORMATIONAL BUS NETWORK.

HERE YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE BUS SYSTEM IN CHARLOTTE.

THIS IS -- WE TALK ABOUT THE RAIL IN CHARLOTTE, BUT THE BUS SYSTEM CAME FIRST.

IN PINELLAS COUNTY, WE HAVE LOOKED AT OUR ROUTES.

WE'VE LOOKED AT OUR NETWORK.

WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW WE ARE GOING TO SERVE THE MARKETS THAT ARE TRAVELING WITHIN PINELLAS COUNTY, BOTH IN THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH, AND THEN ACROSS COUNTY.

INCLUDING CONNECTIONS TO HILLSBOROUGH.

WE ARE PROPOSING THAT WE MOVE FROM OUR CURRENT HUB-AND-SPOKE SYSTEM, WHERE EVERYBODY COMES INTO A TRANSFER CENTER, WAITS A WHILE -- A LONG WHILE SYSTEMS -- AND THEN GOES ON THEIR NEXT BUS.

NOW WE ARE TALKING ABOUT GOING TO A GRID SYSTEM.

THAT MEANS HIGHER FREQUENCIES.

THAT MEANS WAITING ON A CORNER WHERE YOU ARE NOT WAITING THAT LONG, 10, 15 MINUTES MAX.

OUR CORE NETWORK, WHICH WOULD BE OUR BUS RAPID TRANSIT LINES AND OUR RAPID SERVICES LIKE YOU HAVE HERE, METRO RAPID, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT 15-MINUTE SERVICE -- AGAIN, THAT SPONTANEOUS USE SERVICE WHERE YOU CAN WALK OUT THE DOOR.

YOU DON'T NEED A TIMETABLE TO TELL YOU IF THE BUS IS GOING TO BE THERE OR NOT.

IT IS GOING TO BE THERE AND IT IS GOING TO BE THERE IN A SHORT TIME.

WE ALSO HAVE PLANS FOR SOME OF THESE CORRIDORS TO HAVE THEIR OWN RIGHT-OF-WAY, AGAIN, A BRANDED SYSTEM THAT CONNECTS MAJOR EMPLOYMENT ACTIVITY CENTERS ACROSS THE COUNTY, AND THIS IS LAYERED ON TOP OF ANY RAIL SYSTEM THAT WE WOULD HAVE.

OUR FREQUENCY OF THE SERVICE WOULD BE AT 10- TO 15-MINUTE HEADWAYS, AGAIN, ALONG THE CORE AND FREQUENT NETWORKS.

THE REST OF THE SYSTEM WOULD BE 30- TO 60-MINUTE SERVICE, DEPENDING ON WHERE IT'S SERVING.

BUT IN SOME OF THOSE AREAS, LIKE IN THE CENTRAL AVENUE CORRIDOR, WE COULD HAVE 10-MINUTE SERVICE.

THERE ARE SO MANY SERVICES LAYERED ON TOP OF EACH OTHER THERE THAT YOU COULD EASILY WAIT NO MORE THAN 3 MINUTES FOR A BUS.

AND THIS WOULD BE OUR BEFORE AND OUR AFTER.

SO WE ARE LOOKING AT RIGHT NOW WE HAVE TWO ROUTES THAT ARE OPERATING AT 15-MINUTE FREQUENCY THAT WE ARE TALKING, AND IN OUR NEW PLAN, WE WOULD HAVE SIX CORE ROUTES, THAT WOULD BE SIX BRTs PLUS ANOTHER FIVE FREQUENT SERVICES.

ONE OF THE THINGS PEOPLE TOLD US THAT THEY WANTED THE MOST WAS LATER-NIGHT SERVICE.

WE JOKE AT PSTA THAT WE CAN GET YOU TO DINNER, WE CAN GET YOU TO THE MOVIE, WE CAN GET YOU TO CLASS, WE JUST CAN'T GET YOU HOME.

NOW WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO GET YOU HOME.

NOT ONLY THAT, BUT WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET YOU THERE OVER THE WEEKEND.

SO ALL OF YOU COULD COME OVER TO DOWNTOWN ST. PETE OR OVER TO THE BEACH FOR AN EVENING AND GET BACK SAFELY.

WE, JUST LIKE HILLSBOROUGH, HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE GAUNTLET WHEN IT COMES TO DECIDING HOW WE ARE GOING TO DO A MAJOR TRANSIT INVESTMENT LIKE RAIL.

WE LOOKED AT A NUMBER OF ALTERNATIVES, FROM RUBBER TIRE TO STEEL WHEEL.

AND WE KNOW THAT WE CAN DO THIS BASED ON OUR DENSITIES.

WE KNOW THAT WE CAN HAVE HIGH-FREQUENCY SERVICE.

WE KNOW WE CAN HAVE A MAJOR CAPITAL INVESTMENT LIKE RAIL BECAUSE OUR POPULATION DENSITY IS THERE, BOTH IN THE PAST AND IN THE FUTURE, AND IN THE FUTURE, OUR JOB DENSITY WILL BE THERE AS WELL.

THIS IS A COMPARISON OF HOW WE COMPARE TO OTHER CITIES ACROSS THE U.S. THAT HAVE SIMILAR SYSTEMS AS WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING.

WE WENT THROUGH A LONG AND EXHAUSTIVE STUDY TO GET TO THE ANSWER OF RAIL.

TWO AND A HALF YEARS, AND THAT WAS AFTER 30 OF LOOKING AT IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

AND THE BASIS FOR OUR DECISION HAS BEEN ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, CREATING JOBS.

IT'S ABOUT THE ECONOMY, ABOUT CONNECTING PEOPLE AND PLACES.

THE CREATING A NEW KIND OF MARKET FOR HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENT IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY.

WE'VE BEEN TALKING TO EVERYONE.

GREENLIGHT PINELLAS IS A GROUND-UP PROCESS.

WE'VE TALKED TO BUSINESS LEADERS.

WE'VE TALKED TO EMPLOYERS AROUND THE STATIONS.

WE'VE TALKED TO THE HOSPITALS.

WE'VE TALKED TO THE SCHOOLS.

WE'VE TALKED TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATIONS.

THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE WANT.

THIS IS WHAT THEY'VE BEEN TELLING US TO BUILD.

THOSE MAJOR EMPLOYERS, IT WAS NOT A QUESTION OF WHETHER WE ARE GOING TO DO THIS OR NOT.

THEY WERE INTERESTED IN THE DETAILS BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN PAST THE WHY.

SO OUR PLAN FOR RAIL INCLUDES A CONNECTION FROM DOWNTOWN CLEARWATER TO THE GATEWAY AREA IN DOWNTOWN ST. PETERSBURG, WITH A FUTURE CONNECTION TO HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, INCLUDING -- VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT WESTSHORE INTERMODAL CENTER AND THE EXPANSION PLANS OF THE AIRPORT, AS WELL AS WHAT DOWNTOWN TAMPA HAS TO OFFER.

WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD A VIABLE AND ACCOUNTABLE PLAN.

WE'VE LOOKED AT ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE DONE, THE POSITIVES AND THE NEGATIVES.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT HOW BUSES ARE THE FOUNDATION FOR OUR SYSTEM, BUT ALSO HOW LAND USE PLAYS IN.

IN OUR PLAN, WE HAVE THE RAIL, OUR BUS PLAN, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, THAT LAND USE COMPONENT.

WE HAVE BEEN TALKING TO THE COMMUNITY ABOUT HOW DOES LAND USE PLAY INTO THE DEVELOPMENT OF A TRANSIT SYSTEM, AND HOW DO THEY WORK TOGETHER?

FOR EACH ONE OF THE STATIONS, WE HAVE DONE A SERIES OF COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS.

FOR ABOUT EIGHT OF THEM, WE DID INTENSIVE CHARRETTES AND INVITED PEOPLE TO LOOK AT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TODAY AND WHAT IT COULD LOOK LIKE IN THE FUTURE.

THIS IS EXCITING FOR US BECAUSE WE ARE ABLE TO HAVE THIS PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE LAND USE AGENCIES AND THE TRANSIT PLANNING AGENCY.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, WE'VE HAD A FUNDING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MPO ON A BIG PROJECT THAT HAS IMPACT COUNTYWIDE.

THESE ARE SOME OF THE OTHER IMAGES FROM THOSE CHARRETTES.

SO NOW WE ARE AT THE POINT OF MAKING SURE, DOUBLE-CHECKING EVERY SINGLE TIME WITH THE PUBLIC WHAT WE ARE DOING.

WE WANT TO KNOW WHAT PEOPLE THINK.

THAT'S WHAT GREENLIGHT IS ALL ABOUT IS CREATING THAT VIABLE PLAN, CREATING ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE PLAN, AND ANSWERING THE QUESTION FOR PEOPLE IN PINELLAS COUNTY: WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME?

WE ARE HAVING AN OPEN DIALOGUE, REALLY LISTENING TO PEOPLE.

WE ARE DOING SOMETHING A LITTLE BIT UNUSUAL.

WE HAVE SOME COLLATERAL MATERIALS THAT AREN'T YOUR NORMAL PLAN COLLATERAL MATERIALS.

MY FAVORITE ARE THE BUS -- OR THE CAR MAGNETS.

IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO SEE SOMEBODY ON THE HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE ALONG WITH ME WITH THAT CAR MAGNET ON.

AND WE ARE ALL OVER SOCIAL MEDIA.

YOU CAN'T THROW A STICK AT THE WEB WITHOUT CATCHING GREENLIGHT PINELLAS.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE MOST PROUD OF IS OUR GREENLIGHT PROCESS.

WE HAVE REACHED OUT TO THE GOVERNMENT, AND WE HAVE A CONSORTIUM OF GOVERNMENTS CALLED THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR PINELLAS TRANSPORTATION.

AND ON THIS COMMITTEE WE HAVE TBARTA, FDOT, THE PINELLAS PLANNING COMMISSION, THE MPO, AND PSTA, AND IT'S THIS PARTNERSHIP THAT HAS CREATED SUCH A GOOD SYNERGY OF OUR PROJECT.

BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE CREATED TWO COMMITTEES SO THAT WE COULD TAKE THE PULSE OF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY AND THE CIVIC COMMUNITY.

AND WE'VE HELD A SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH EACH OF THEM TO SAY WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PLAN?

HERE ARE OUR IDEAS.

HERE'S HOW WE'D LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD.

WE KNOW OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ARE ON BOARD.

JUST LAST WEEK WE TOOK A VOTE AT OUR CIVIC COMMITTEE AND OUR BUSINESS COMMITTEE, AND THEY'RE ON BOARD.

SO NOW ALL THREE OF THOSE COMMUNITIES CAN GO TO THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND SAY WE AGREE.

BECAUSE IN PINELLAS COUNTY, WE'RE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

WE HAVE 24 MUNICIPALITIES PLUS THE COUNTY.

THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO AGREE IN ORDER TO GET SOMETHING DONE.

WE HAVE TO BUILD CONSENSUS, AND GREENLIGHT PINELLAS IS DOING THAT.

SO IF YOU COME OVER TO THE BEACH, I WILL GIVE YOU A CAR MAGNET, BE HAPPY TO DO THAT.

PLEASE, CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE.

WE ARE DOING A LOT OF REALLY GOOD THINGS, MAKING SURE THAT EVERY QUESTION THAT GETS ASKED GETS ANSWERED.

SO ANY QUESTION THAT YOU HAVE TODAY, THE LOVELY ASSISTANT, CHRIS, IS GOING TO WRITE IT DOWN.

HE IS ALSO GOING TO WRITE DOWN MY ANSWER, AND YOU WILL SEE THAT ON OUR WEBSITE.

SO THANK YOU, AND WITH THAT, I WILL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: THANK YOU, MS. BORCHERS.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS?

COMMISSIONER PIKE.

>>BRUCE CURY: I'LL -- GO AHEAD, COMMISSIONER PIKE.

>>GARY PIKE: THANK YOU.

THE SALES TAX PRESENTLY IS 7%?

>> YES.

>>GARY PIKE: BECAUSE WE ARE DOING SOMETHING SIMILAR IN HILLSBOROUGH.

SO YOU ARE GOING TO LOOK TO GO TO 8%?

WE DID THAT LAST YEAR OR A COUPLE CYCLES AGO.

SO TO GET THAT 7% SALES INCREASE, 7% INCREASE GOING FROM 7 TO 8, HOW MUCH WOULD THAT GENERATE?

HAVE YOU FIGURED THAT OUT YET?

>> TODAY IT GENERATES AROUND $138 MILLION A YEAR.

A 1% SALES TAX.

>>GARY PIKE: WHICH IS 7%.

YES.

INTERESTING.

$105 MILLION?

>> 130.

>>GARY PIKE: WHAT DOES IT COST, 24,000 PEOPLE A DAY?

WHAT'S THE DAILY BUDGET FOR THE BUS SYSTEM THAT YOU HAVE NOW?

>> OUR ANNUAL BUDGET IS $56 MILLION THE LOCAL FUNDING OF THAT IS 32 MILLION.

SO WE WOULD REPLACE OUR CURRENT AD VALOREM, WHICH IS AT .74, AND OUR MAX IS .75, WITH PORTIONS OF THE ONE-CENT SALES TAX.

SO FOR SOME PEOPLE IN PINELLAS COUNTY, IT MAY BE A WASH DEPENDING ON THE VALUE OF THEIR HOME AND WHAT THEY SPEND ON CONSUMABLE GOODS.

FOR SOME PEOPLE, IT'S GOING TO BE MORE.

IT'S GOING TO BE AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS.

I WOULD SAY IF YOU TAKE THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD INCOME IN PINELLAS COUNTY AND THE AVERAGE HOME VALUE IN PINELLAS COUNTY -- AND WE'VE DONE A NUMBER OF LOOKS AT DIFFERENT CITIES, IT'S ABOUT $7 TO $25 INCREASE FOR A HOUSEHOLD.

THAT'S ON AVERAGE.

I KNOW I'VE PAID MORE THAN $7 FOR LUNCH.

>>GARY PIKE: RIDERSHIP, WHAT DOES THAT -- WHAT PERCENTAGE DOES RIDERSHIP ACTUALLY PAY OF TRANSIT?

>> THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS USUALLY BETWEEN 15% TO 20%.

WE ARE IN THE LOW 30s RIGHT NOW AS FOR FAREBOX RECOVERY.

>>GARY PIKE: IS THAT WHAT THE PROJECTIONS FOR THE FUTURE, LIGHT RAIL AND ALL THE ADDITIONAL ENHANCEMENTS FOR THE SYSTEM, IT'S ABOUT 70%, AND IS THAT ABOUT THE NUMBER?

>> IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE WE DON'T COUNT UP TO THE 30% THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

WE ARE SORT OF BEING CONSERVATIVE ABOUT WHAT WE ARE PROJECTING FOR THAT FAREBOX RECOVERY.

STILL HIGHER THAN NATIONAL AVERAGE.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COMMISSIONERS?

COMMISSIONER CURY.

>>BRUCE CURY: MS. BORCHERS, FROM -- WHAT ARE YOUR SOURCES OF FUNDING?

AND WHAT ARE THE SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR THE BUS SERVICE IN PINELLAS?

>> YES.

>>BRUCE CURY: WHAT IS YOUR SOURCE OF FUNDING?

>> FOR THE BUS SERVICE WE HAVE NOW, A PORTION OF IT IS LOCAL.

WE ALSO GET STATE GRANTS AND FEDERAL FORMULA DOLLARS WE USE FOR A MAJORITY OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS.

>>BRUCE CURY: WHAT PORTION IS AD VALOREM?

>> A LITTLE MORE THAN HALF.

>>BRUCE CURY: YOU ARE GOING TO TRADE THAT AD VALOREM FOR 1% SALES TAX?

>> YES, SIR.

>>BRUCE CURY: HAVE YOU -- YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TO THE VOTERS YET; HAVE YOU?

>> NO, WE HAVE NOT.

I WILL SAY THAT PINELLAS COUNTY, OF THE LAST SIX TAX INCREASES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT BEFORE THE VOTERS IN PINELLAS COUNTY, WE'RE SIX FOR SIX.

THEY HAVE APPROVED --

>>BRUCE CURY: INCREASES ON SALES TAX?

>> ON SALES TAX.

ON SALES TAX AND AD VALOREM.

>>BRUCE CURY: SIX FOR SIX, GOING FROM WHAT PERCENT TO WHAT PERCENT?

>> THAT'S THE PENNY FOR PINELLAS, OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT INFRASTRUCTURE SURTAX; AS WELL AS SOME SCHOOL INCREASES ON AD VALOREM.

>>BRUCE CURY: WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET TO IS WHAT IS THE SUM TOTAL OF THE INCREASE IN THOSE SIX INCREASES?

>> THAT I DON'T KNOW.

I CAN GET THAT FOR YOU.

BUT THE PENNY FOR PINELLAS IS EVERY TEN YEARS, MUCH LIKE THE CIT OVER HERE.

>>BRUCE CURY: I BELIEVE THAT YOU SAID THAT YOU ARE GOING TO SUCCEED BECAUSE OF JOB DENSITY AND POPULATION DENSITY; YES?

>> THAT'S WHY I THINK THE TRANSIT SYSTEM WILL WORK.

I THINK WE WILL SUCCEED BECAUSE WE'RE BUILDING CONSENSUS IN THE COUNTY.

>>BRUCE CURY: OKAY.

LET'S PUT ASIDE THE CONSENSUS FOR A MOMENT, BUT SUCCESS BECAUSE OF POPULATION AND JOB DENSITY.

HOW WOULD YOU JUXTAPOSE THE POPULATION AND THE JOB DENSITY WITH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY?

>> WE ARE THE DENSEST COUNTY IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

SO YOU HAVE OTHER CHALLENGES HERE BECAUSE YOU HAVE HIGH DENSITIES IN THE CORE AND MUCH LOWER DENSITIES ON THE OUTSKIRTS.

IT'S A MUCH DIFFERENT COUNTY.

WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME AGRICULTURE AREAS AS YOU DO.

WE DON'T HAVE THE SAME CONNECTIONS BY LAND THAT YOU DO.

>>BRUCE CURY: I DON'T WANT YOU TO BE TOO SUCCESSFUL WITH YOUR ARGUMENT BECAUSE IT'S A REBUTTAL.

[LAUGHTER]

>> WE DO WANT TO BE HELPFUL TO YOU, THOUGH, AND WE THINK THAT THIS WILL BE.

>>BRUCE CURY: I UNDERSTAND THAT.

ARE YOU GOING TO PRESENT TO THE PEOPLE BEFORE THIS VOTE IN 2014 THE TRACK FOR YOUR TRANSPORTATION FEATURES?

FOR LIGHT RAIL?

>> HOW DO YOU MEAN THE TRACK?

>>BRUCE CURY: WHERE THESE BUSES AND LIGHT RAILS SHOULD GO, WILL GO, ARE SUPPOSED TO GO?

>> YES.

WE HAVE THE PLAN RIGHT NOW.

OUR NEXT STEPS ARE TO REFINE OUR FINANCIAL PLAN.

AND THAT WILL ALSO GIVE US PHASING.

SO WE WILL BE ABLE TO TELL OUR VOTERS WHAT DOES THIS SYSTEM LOOK IN TWO YEARS FROM NOW, FIVE YEARS, TEN YEARS, FIFTEEN.

WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT RIGHT NOW.

WE WILL HAVE THAT ANSWER IN A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

>>BRUCE CURY: WITH A LITTLE MORE BUOYANT ECONOMY, YOU HAVE AN ADVANTAGE IN YOUR EFFORT.

ANOTHER THING, BESIDES THE ABSENCE OF BUOYANCE IN THE ECONOMY WHEN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY TRIED IT, WAS THE FACT THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE FELT THEY WOULDN'T RECEIVE SERVICE THAT WAS EQUIVALENT TO WHAT THEY ARE EXPECTED TO PAY.

YOUR SYSTEM WILL SERVE -- DOES NOT HAVE THAT PROBLEM; YES?

>> WE HAVE SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES AS WELL, ESPECIALLY IN NORTH COUNTY.

OUR NORTH COUNTY IS MUCH MORE SUBURBAN IN NATURE.

THERE ARE ONLY FOUR ROADWAYS NORTH-SOUTH THAT CAN CONNECT TO THIS AREA, SO IT'S LIMITED ACCESS.

WHAT WE'VE DONE IS PUT A SPECIALIZED SERVICE UP THERE CALLED OUR NORTH COUNTY CONNECTOR, AND IT'S A FLEX ROUTE, MUCH LIKE YOU HAVE IN SOUTH COUNTY, AND WE WOULD INCREASE OUR SERVICE ON THAT.

THAT SERVICE IN NORTH COUNTY HAS BEEN VERY POPULAR.

SO THE OTHER THING THAT HAS BEEN VERY POPULAR IN NORTH COUNTY -- EVEN THOUGH THEY WOULD NOT GET RAIL IN THIS PLAN INITIALLY, THEY WOULD GET THE CONNECTOR SERVICE AS WELL AS SOME NEW TROLLEY SERVICES.

SOME OF THOSE RUN FRIDAY, SATURDAY, SUNDAY TO THE BEACHES.

OUR DUI RATE COULD GO DOWN BECAUSE OF PEOPLE CHOOSING TO TAKE THE JOLLY TROLLEY, SO WE HOPE THAT'S A SUCCESS.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S ABOUT SERVING THE MARKET WITH THE RIGHT SERVICE.

>>BRUCE CURY: I'M SORRY.

GO AHEAD.

>> SO PEOPLE IN NORTH COUNTY MAY PAY MORE THAN WHAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY GETTING, BUT THEY ARE GETTING MUCH MORE THAN THEY GET TODAY.

>>BRUCE CURY: WHAT WAS THE GENESIS OF THIS NOTION OF REDUCTION -- ELIMINATION OF AD VALOREM TAXATION IN EXCHANGE FOR 1% SALES TAX?

WAS THAT YOUR IDEA?

>> WAS THAT MY IDEA?

NO.

IT WAS FLOATED SOME YEARS AGO BY ELECTED OFFICIALS, AND IT WORKS.

IT STUCK, AND IT WORKS.

>>BRUCE CURY: THE REASON IT HAS SUCH ATTRACTIVENESS IS BECAUSE THAT POPULATION WHICH OBJECTS WILL GET A REDUCTION IN THEIR TAXES, AND THAT POPULATION WHICH DOES NOT OBJECT IS GOING TO HAVE TO PAY.

THEY WILL BE ON THE BUS.

THAT'S A GENERALIZATION.

BUT I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND.

>> UH-HUH.

>>BRUCE CURY: IT IS A GIMMICK, BUT IT IS PROMINENT AND IMPORTANT AND GOOD THINKING.

>> THANK YOU.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: ANY OTHER COMMISSIONERS?

>> I JUST HAD ONE QUESTION.

HAVE YOU ALL FIGURED OUT PRICING YET OF A RAIL TICKET PASS AND WHAT SOME OF THESE TRANSPORTATION MODES MIGHT COST?

>> THE REGULAR FIXED-ROUTE SERVICE FOR LIGHT RAIL AND BUS WOULD BE THE SAME PRICE.

WE DO HAVE IN OUR FINANCIAL PLAN FARE INCREASES EVERY THREE TO FIVE YEARS, WHICH IS NORMAL FOR A TRANSIT AGENCY.

WE ALSO HAVE DART SERVICE, WHICH IS OUR -- IF YOU CAN'T GET TO THE REGULAR ROUTE AND YOU NEED SPECIAL SERVICE, THOSE ARE $4 A RIDE, AND THOSE WOULD REMAIN THE SAME, AGAIN, WITH THOSE SAME FARE INCREASES.

>> THEN WHAT WOULD BE THE RAIL PASS AND -- THE PRICE?

YOU SAID THEY WOULD BE THE SAME, BUT HAVE YOU ALL FIGURED OUT MORE OR LESS WHAT IT WOULD COST?

>> FOR SOMEBODY TO RIDE THE RAIL AT TODAY'S PRICES, IT WOULD BE $4.50 FOR THE DAY.

>> OKAY.

>> SO THAT WOULD BE AN UNLIMITED DAILY PASS WOULD BE $4.50.

NOW, IN THREE TO FIVE YEARS, IF WE CHANGED THAT FOR THE BUS SYSTEM TO $4.75, THEN IT WOULD BE $4.75 FOR THE RAIL.

BUT THEY WOULD BE EQUIVALENT.

THERE WOULD BE NO PRICE DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN THE RAIL AND THE BUS.

>> THANK YOU.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: THANK YOU.

>> AND YOU COULD RIDE EITHER, YES.

AS WELL AS THE JOLLY TROLLEY, YES.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU, MS. BORCHERS.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ONE OF THE THINGS I WILL TELL YOU IS THAT THE PEOPLE OF PINELLAS COUNTY HAVE ALWAYS SAID TO US LET'S GET TO HILLSBOROUGH, AND SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT YOUR PLANS WILL BE IN THE FUTURE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE CAN CONNECT TO TIA AND DOWNTOWN TAMPA.

MAKE THAT VERY CLEAR, WE WANT TO GET OVER HERE AS MUCH AS YOU WANT TO COME TO THE BEACH.

>>BRUCE CURY: YOUR SUCCESS -- YOUR SUCCESS WILL BE IN EFFECT EFFECTIVE AND INEFFECTIVE.

IF YOU FAIL, YOU ARE GOING TO CARRY MORE THAN JUST PINELLAS WITH YOU.

>> THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER CURY.

I APPRECIATE THAT.

YOU ALL HAVE A GOOD DAY.

>> I WASN'T GOING TO SAY THIS, BUT I HAVE TO SAY THIS.

I DO -- AS A TAXPAYER, IT DOES BOTHER ME A LITTLE BIT WHAT WE DID IN HILLSBOROUGH WHERE WE HAD A PENNY AND WE CUT IT IN HALF AND SAID ISN'T A HALF A PENNY ENOUGH FOR OUR SCHOOLS?

OR YOU MENTIONED A MOMENT AGO A PENNY.

MATHEMATICALLY, A PENNY IS NOT A PERCENT INCREASE.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU ARE A BUSINESS -- I HAVE A COUPLE OF LOCATIONS OVER THERE IN PINELLAS -- IF WE ARE PAYING $4,000 A MONTH AND WE HAVE A LANDLORD, WE ARE PAYING 7%, $280, IF IT GOES TO 8, IT'S $320.

IT'S NOT A PENNY.

I AM A LITTLE OFFENDED WHEN WE DO THAT, WHEN WE CALL IT WHAT IT ISN'T.

I REALIZE THE AVERAGE VOTER IS BRIGHT ENOUGH TO SEE THAT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, WELL, IT'S ONLY A PENNY.

I HAVE QUITE A FEW PENNIES, I WILL GIVE THEM TO YOU.

BUT WHEN WE GO FROM 7% TO 8%, WE KNOW MATHEMATICALLY WHAT THAT IS.

THE SECOND THING FOR ME HAS ALWAYS BEEN I UNDERSTAND A BOND.

OKAY?

WE LOOK AT SOMETHING AND WE MAKE AN INVESTMENT JUST LIKE A PRIVATE INDUSTRY.

I REALIZE IT'S THE GOVERNMENT.

AND WE ARE TRYING TO BUILD -- TO MAKE OUR LIFE BETTER AND MORE LIVABLE.

BUT IT ALWAYS BOTHERS ME WHEN WE INCREASE THE TAX AND IT NEVER GOES AWAY.

I CAN SEE FLOATING A BOND BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME EFFICIENCIES, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE LESS DUIs, LESS THIS, THIS, THEN TEN YEARS IT GOES AWAY.

BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE INVEST IN THINGS THAT SEEM TO COST US, THE TAXPAYERS, WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, 70 OR 80 CENTS ON EVERY DOLLAR, AND NOW WE HAVE A LIABILITY THAT'S BUILT IN.

AND OH, BY THE WAY, ROADS ONLY LAST 25 YEARS, SO WE HAVE TO FIX THOSE, RAILS PROBABLY, TRAINS NEED TO BE REFURBISHED.

THIS IS A GREAT PROPOSAL, AND YOU HAVE MUCH HIGHER DENSITY, A LOT OF GOOD THINGS, BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT THE TAXPAYERS STRUGGLE WITH IS WE BUY SOMETHING, WE BUILD SOMETHING, THEN WE ONLY GENERATE 20 CENTS, 30 CENTS ON THE DOLLAR, WE ARE ALMOST BETTER GIVING PEOPLE MONEY TO GET A CAB.

THAT'S MY ONLY POINT, THOSE TWO POINTS, JUST IN GENERAL.

>>BRUCE CURY: JUST SAY THANK YOU.

[LAUGHTER]

>> I APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS.

>> THANK YOU, MS. BORCHERS.

>> THANK YOU.

>>DEREK DOUGHTY: WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED.

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